Putting people first

This was sent to Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert and copied to The Royal Gazette.

January 19, 2006

Dear Mr. Furbert,

I would like to offer my congratulations on your recent appointment as leader of the UBP. As a young Bermudian who is quickly becoming politically active, I would hope that you could take a moment out of your very busy schedule to read and respond to this e-mail.

I have personally become very disillusioned by Bermudian politics given the prominence of racism as an issue that precludes issues that are more important for our future. As a young Bermudian, I am torn as to whom to support politically as I have few ties to the history of the past and am more concerned with the issues of today, our direction, and our path of forward movement to address them. I have stepped away from supporting either the UBP or the PLP as neither have shown that they are doing what is in the interest of our youth and our future thus far. I've watched as Bermudians have been stifled by our Government in favour of non-Bermudians and non-Bermudian companies just as I personally have been stifled.

I'm quickly growing tired of politicians who put themselves first and I wonder if perhaps you may be different with your new-found leadership. I would like to ask for the opportunity to gain some insight into your plans for reforming the UBP.

In an article I read there was mention of your support for deciding issues based upon referendums. May I ask what support you have for placing the power of Government in the hands of the people? I would like to see Government take a stance of once and for all being for the people rather then for the politicians. By this I mean giving the people the power to petition a large enough amount of support from the electorate to force the calling of a referendum or election. The recent charade of the PLP's failure to acknowledge the BFR group and their belittling of the Bermudian people showcased how much of a need there is for this kind of reform, regardless of which party is in power.

I believe the UBP would showcase to the Bermudian people that it is putting the people first and is once again ready to lead our country if it instigated this kind of reform. I would like to see us reform our Constitution to give the people this power. The ability to call an election and have set terms of duration in office rather then the flexibility that only exists in favour of the party in power.

I would also like to see the ability to call a referendum on an issue to determine it by the will of the people rather then watching 49 percent of the electorate be ignored by Government. Give the people the ability to have a say in how things are run and once and for all make our Government accountable. As a young Bermudian, I feel driven to see change in our future that brings stability and I hope that your new path for leadership will yield enough radical change that you can recapture the support of the people. I feel this is necessary as too many are tired of unkept promises and the strongest position the UBP could take to prove they've rejuvenated themselves would be to relinquish the power of dictatorial terms in office to a system more suited to trust and accountability by our leaders. I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with you to discuss this though I do understand you have a very busy schedule ahead of you. In the least I hope that you may be able to respond to this e-mail and give me some insight into your own direction with the party.

DENIS PITCHER

Man of the people

January 20, 2006

Dear Sir,

With the change in leadership of the United Bermuda Party to a man of the people; and witnessing the wreckage strewn about by the forever failing PLP Government and whilst listening to their continual ranting about race and plantations, I am reminded of the following:

“....I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” - Martin Luther King, 28 August 1963

“...Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” - John F. Kennedy, 20 January 1961

He might not be Martin Luther King nor John F. Kennedy but at least Wayne Furbert lives these philosophies.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Southampton

No surprise here

January 19, 2006

Dear Sir,

So, the Members of the BIU, agree unanimously to work a 35 hour week, well there's a surprise!

OVERWORKED AT 40 HOURS?

Devonshire

Dr. Hodgson's remarks

January 20, 2006

Dear Sir,

I would like to respond to Dr. Eva Hodgson's recent letter to you, in which she talked about an article I wrote on A Limey In Bermuda earlier this month (that article can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cecdo).

“He begins by pointing out … that whites in Bermuda care no more about the pain and humiliation inflicted on us by racism than they do about the misery in Kosovo,” said Dr. Hodgson. What I actually said was that most whites do care about the scars of racism, and consider them to be as terrible as genocide in Kosovo. However, like the events there, most whites are unable to relate to those atrocities, because they have no first-hand experience of them. As a result, most are unable to care deeply about them. However much I may wish to do so, I will never be able to fully appreciate what it is or was like to be black.

I believe that is the reason for much of the indifference that Dr. Hodgson sees in the white community. Most whites do not wish and are not trying to “maintain the racial barriers”. Most whites do not support the UBP in the hope that they will maintain the racial divide. If Dr. Hodgson really believes they do, then she needs to talk to more white people - young whites in particular.

I agree with Dr. Hodgson that integration in Bermuda does seem to have been largely a one-way street, with blacks integrating themselves into white institutions. I can see why she would find this frustrating. Speaking for myself, I admit that I would only be inclined to join a traditionally black institution if either I felt comfortable doing so, or it was overwhelmingly in my self-interest to overcome my discomfort. However, I do not believe that blacks are any more altruistic than whites in this respect. While I am sure that many of those who integrated themselves into white institutions must have been very uncomfortable doing so, I imagine most did it anyway because of the benefits they got from doing so. For example, blacks presumably joined the traditionally white private school system because academic standards were higher there. But what incentive is there for more whites to join the traditionally black public school system, where standards are much lower?

I'd also like to address Dr. Hodgson's assertion that: “The most rabid left wing communist from Great Britain promptly becomes a ‘conservative' UBP supporter when he lands in Bermuda.” If this is true, might I suggest that it's because the constant use of offensive racial epithets by senior members of the PLP is a major turn-off to any white person, regardless of their political orientation. That communist isn't attracted to the UBP, he's driven away from the PLP.

PHILLIP WELLS

St. George's

http://www.limeyinbermuda.com