Law needs changing

June 2, 2006

Dear Sir,

May I respond to your “Animal Extravaganza” editorial of May 31? I believe the issues of education, of conservation, and of compassion for wild animals were missed.

“Travelling circuses”, such as the Rosaires, and those who sponsor and support these types of shows, do nothing but demean and belittle these extraordinary creatures. There are fewer travelling circuses throughout the world for the simple reason that people are educating themselves to the plight of these majestic animals.

You ask “Is it wrong for tigers to be taught these kinds of behaviours [tricks, but OK for dogs?” It is not natural for a tiger to want to play or please a human, whereas it is for the domesticated dog who has not only served as “man's best friend” for centuries but has also been proved to save human lives.

Comparing captive animals in zoos to that of the Rosaires' “travelling circus” doesn't make sense. The level of education concerning our environment, wildlife and conservation received from most zoos, including Bermuda's own BAMZ far surpasses that of the “travelling circus,” as evidenced by your reporter's (Scott Neil) “Fans: Animals in good health” (May 29) article. Not one “fan” interviewed mentioned what they learned or how they will go forth to protect the environment or wildlife; only that that animals looked well and that they had “fun”.

You do make a valid point in suggesting that those of us who object to animal exploitation should seek to change the law. We will.

MARIA M. WHITTLE

St. George's

Great articles, Roger

June 4, 2006

Dear Sir,

I enjoy reading Roger Crombie's articles every weekend, but I have to say the one on Saturday, June 3 topped all others.

Titled “When too much is never enough”. He wrote about the villain, former Enron founder Ken Lay, whose greed and excesses for himself and other top managers robbed Enron's employees of not only their jobs and pensions. The shareholders' loss also.

It put me in mind of another villain our own Bermudian, Terrance Smith, who built his own home to excess, robbing to Bermuda Housing Corporation, whose purpose is supposed to help and look after the interests of hard working-class Bermudians.

Parents living in tents and cars with children. Elderly people who are residing in substandard housing with mould and damp coming through walls and roofs, dependent sometimes on the kind souls who deliver “meals on wheels”.

May these greedy people lie in prison and think of their crimes which they committed against humanity.

Thank you, Roger, for your great articles.

VIVIAN PEREIRA

Smith's Parish

Don't change the singer

June 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

That's too bad that the fellow from New York and his business partners get so depressed with the Airport singer. Don't change the singer. Let him change his destination, or better yet just stay in New York.

It's a shame while in Bermuda he doesn't remember the sounds of the birds and the tree frogs. Please stay as you are Bermuda.

DON SQUIER

Virginia

Willing and competent

May 26, 2006

Dear Sir,

About a week ago I stupidly reversed my car into a tree. The inevitable results were a nasty-looking huge dent in the back of the car and a huge worry in my head. How long would it take to get the car mended and would it ever be the same again?

My daughter-in-law came to my aid and said “take it to Webb's at Well Bottom - they are really good”. Never was there better advice.

Tentatively I approached a gentleman (whom I knew later to be Elroy) and said I had reversed into a tree. He did not look at me as if I were daft, but instantly said “Bring the car in tomorrow”. I did, and in 24 hours it was ready. Not only ready, but looking smarter than ever. And the so-called “bad news” of the cost was much less than I expected.

But - just as I was driving away I discovered that the driver's window was immoveably shut. This did not surprise me because the window had been wavering for some time, and from past experience I know how temperamental is the complicated machinery inside the car door.

So back I go to Webb's. “Don't worry. We will send someone into town to get a replacement, and will phone you when it's ready.” I have already had experience of getting parts - any parts - in town, so I had few expectations, and was dumbfounded when I received a phone call a couple of hours later saying they had the new part and it was already installed.

Back I went with my cheque book out again. For all that voyaging and searching and installation work they would charge me no more than the exact amount they had to pay for the part.

In this day and age when sadly we have come to expect not very much co-operation, and certainly not co-operation with a smile, it was really heart-warming to deal with staff so willing and competent. Thank you Mr. Webb, and Leroy, and all your other employees who turned a bad experience into an unexpected pleasure.

PAM CASH

Southampton

A so-called leader?

May 26, 2006

Dear Sir,

While driving my nine-year-old daughter to school earlier this week the newscast reported on the use of the “house nigger” by David Burch. My daughter asked me what a “nigger” was. In my opinion this word is THE most offensive word in the English language and has never been uttered in our home, but I was curious if she had ever heard it elsewhere. She said she had never heard the word before and wanted to know what it meant. This is significant for a few reasons, which I will summarise: i) we are white, ii) our children go to a private school which has been (inaccurately) labelled a “white” school iii) we belong to clubs that are (inaccurately) labelled as “white” iv) my wife is from a little town deep in the heart of Texas and v) my family roots are based in the “privileged” northeast.

So here we are on North Shore Road in May 2006, more than nine years into this child's life and for the very first time, given her roots and upbringing, she is hearing the word “nigger” as a quote from a black man. How ironic! We have worked tirelessly to raise our children with the fundamental principal of equal rights and respect for all individuals only to have it tested by a shameless, so-called leader in our community who obviously has a double standard on this issue.

If anyone hears my children utter that word it will be because they were taught it by a black man, not by me nor their family.

ROBIN HAMILL

Bailey's Bay

A case of ‘what if'

June 7, 2006

Dear Sir,

I find it hard to believe that we do not seem to have a Minister of Government (or any parliamentarian, for that matter), or a Department of Government having the mandate (and hopefully the power) to look out for and protect our environment for the benefit of our children and grandchildren, who has the guts to stand up and say, “ENOUGH! STOP!” to the plans of the new owners of the Fairmont Southampton to develop half of their golf course into residential units.

It is my strong recollection that the original developers of the Fairmont Southampton were allowed to build their monstrosity of a hotel on one of the most beautiful, undeveloped parts (at that time) of our Island, provided they developed a golf course which was (is) to remain sacrosanct. Am I wrong?

Since the new owners have only recently acquired the hotel, they must have been aware of the development restrictions. Or were they?

Maybe our Government were party to the deal and have already given tacit approval which they now feel obligated to follow through with. Is this the “boot” in the door? To try to add a little additional perspective, WHAT IF the re-developers of the old Club Med were to become the primary “guardians” and promoters of the St. George's Golf Club and after a few years were to make the case to Government that the only way they could possibly keep the hotel open was to extend their “facilities” by developing half of that golf course into residential units? Do we let that happen as well?

And WHAT IF, after that has been done, the interest in the nine hole St. George's Golf Course drops because it is no longer what our locals and tourists are looking for? Do we then let the developers do-in the rest of it?

Hey! Why not? It's “progress” isn't it?

LOOKOUT

Devonshire

Whites and the PLP

June 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

With regard to an article that appeared in TheRoyal Gazette on May 17, 2006 entitled “A question of race,” written by Sam Strangeways, in which she talked about why whites do not join the PLP, history has demonstrated, and Dr. Eva Hodgson has stated on a number of occasions, that when it comes to integration in this country, blacks have always taken the first step, and in most instances the only step in that direction.

On page 113 of my book entitled “Acel'dama” (The untold story of the murder of the Governor of Bermuda, Sir Richard Sharples), paragraph three reads: “Whites clearly indicate their desire not to integrate by withdrawing from these institutions when blacks join them. A prime example is the recent influx of blacks that have joined the ranks of the United Bermuda Party, (a predominately white party) and the exit from the forefront of that party by whites. Very seldom do you ever hear of whites joining any black organisation”.

My question is: “Is this a pattern of racism?”

Furthermore, racial equality will not happen until we have economic equality. As long as whites receive higher wages than blacks for doing the same job, there will always be racial tension in this country. It really boils down the bottom line. Green power. And as far as whites joining the PLP is concerned, who cares?

NEVILLE T. DARRELL

Devonshire

Editor's Note: Neville T. Darrell is not the Neville Darrell who is the United Bermuda Party MP for Warwick West.

Condos everywhere

May 26, 2006

Dear Sir,

Paget is getting condo packed.

Condos up the hill, condos across the street.

Condos at Loughlands, now condos at Coco Reef.

We are being surrounded by condos, so Paget South Road will be condo city. What a pity. The traffic will be worse than it is now instead of ten condos minutes to Hamilton, it will take 50 minutes. More children to go to school in Paget (already overcrowded). Paget will look like Parsons Road used to look from the perspective of crime in Paget, it will be worse before it gets better, we are being overcrowded. Please try another another parish. Spread out, let us breath fresh air.

Thank you for allowing me space to speak freely about my home South South, Paget, where I love to live.

CONCERNED PAGET RESIDENT