Solve rental problem

April 8, 2005

Dear Sir,

It is so apparent to me, as I am sure it is to many of my fellow Bermudians, that there is a real housing crisis in Bermuda. Not a crisis of home ownership, but a crisis of finding real and affordable housing. For some reason our Government is hell-bent on home ownership as being the solution to this crisis, and have vowed to save the BHP project. But how does home ownership help the young lady who in a letter published this week talked about having to share a three-bedroom house with her cousin, uncle and four children, with herself and her two children sharing one of those bedrooms? How does home ownership help the other struggling families who just want a decent place to raise their children? When will our Government realise that home ownership is not for everyone? Home ownership is about more than just a mortgage. It is ongoing maintenance of the property, it is land tax, it is the mortgage insurance etc. There are some people who will not be able to afford all of that. They simply want a decent and affordable rental option.

The people who are looking for an affordable housing solution shouldn?t be given the short end of the stick by this government. With the current setback of the BHP project our Government has been given a golden opportunity ? an opportunity to stop and rethink before blundering ahead on a project that many of us have never thought of as being a real solution to our housing crisis. A better solution to our housing crisis is affordable rentals. I am not saying not to build the houses to be sold, what I am saying is why are there no units being built for rental purposes? Why are trailers acceptable housing for the rental market? Why can?t the Southside housing project incorporate homes for sale as well as two or three-storey high rises with predominantly two bedroom units at reasonable rents ($1,000?), with an apartment set aside in each building for an on-property super (like they have in apartment buildings overseas ? novel concept!), with a laundry facility, and a playground for children ? to me that seems like a much more feasible and long term solution to the problem than trailers! I can?t see how a trailer park is going to give any sense of pride to the tenants. The bandaid solution of trailers is just that ? a bandaid. A real and meaningful solution is needed.

So before our Government rushes to make sure the BHP project is saved (because they need to save face!), it would be nice to see them stop, say ?you know what, we have an opportunity here to make sure we do the right thing for Bermuda and Bermudians, let?s make sure about this project before we press on with it?. There is nothing wrong, Premier Scott et al, with saying ?we might be making a mistake here?. After all the ?mistakes? that have been made in the past seven years, it might be a refreshing change for your supporters and adversaries alike to see you adopt a less dictatorial approach to such an important issue for our country.

MAC

City of Hamilton

Look past our shores

April 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

The Independence debate is, without being melodramatic, the most important matter to face Bermudians this century, and yet the issue is continuously clouded by ?the ugly spectre of racism?.

The usual suspects beat the drums of Independence proclaiming that somehow Independence will magically solve all racial issues ? this is clear grandstanding and politicking of the most basic form. Those commentators and politicians who play the race card to advance their agenda are doing a great disservice to Bermudians ? black and white alike. In fact they are polarising the races by feeding on past injustices rather than advancing a social agenda of equal opportunity for all to ensure a stronger future.

Mr. Editor, there is no doubt in my mind that an older generation of many Bermudians were victims of blatant discrimination prior to self-governance and indeed for many years thereafter. I will not even try to pretend that I can identify with those who have been victims of racial discrimination, but what I can do, Mr. Editor, is ask those Bermudians who were victims of racism to examine carefully how far race relations have come and be honest that things have changed drastically over the last 35 years and continue to do so.

Independence may make some Bermudians feel they are free from the perceived shackles and chains of colonialism, but before the Independence advocates push further, I implore them to think about what Independence will bring for the younger generation of Bermudians who have a world of opportunity before them and have not been the victims of segregation and racism.

Mr. Editor, I do not believe enough has been made of the fact that Bermudians will, in all probability, lose their right to a British passport should the dream of Independence become a reality. This will, in one swoop, strip the ability of young Bermudians from gaining valuable work experience in the UK and Europe. Even if only a very small minority of Bermudians decide to reap the benefit from foreign experience it will, in the long run, reduce the Island?s reliance on overseas workers with foreign experience that Bermudians could readily achieve themselves by working overseas. How many times do exempted companies require a Bermudian to have foreign experience when applying for a job? All one needs to do is look at the classified ads in today?s paper!

The immediate euphoria that some of the older generation of Bermudians may experience with Independence, would slowly turn into a realisation that opportunities available to their children and grandchildren are gone. Independence will not suddenly cause an overwhelming urge by all blacks and whites to hold hands in total and complete harmony like some politicians want us to believe. The fact is if a person is racist they always will be ? nothing will change that. Let us stop wasting time debating Independence and instead encourage our young people to grasp the opportunities that are currently presented on a silver platter.

Closing the doors to the avenue of foreign experience by Independence will not assist in this venture. Educated and ?worldly? Bermudians that think past our small shores will ensure a vibrant and a undivided nation ? not a change in flag or our politicians? titles.

MICHAEL M. FAHY

Smith?s Parish

No to Independence

April 4, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am a young black Bermudian who loves this Island and I have seen other places which makes me appreciate what I have here on this little rock in the middle of the water.

I am writing today about the most dangerous, influential, decisive and worst name that has ever reached Bermuda?s shores ... ?Independence?. I was watching the news about the conference that was taken on this topic lately and I noticed people were throwing up phrases like ?the white people don?t want this?. I think that the white people as well as blacks are thinking with their heads instead of attitude.

Others realise that people who live on a tiny speck like this have little to complain about except for crime because we are surrounded by everything else which is possible or is positive. Blacks are worried about what whites did to them 40 years ago and before and now they have their chance, they want to get on top.

Sorry to tell ?my? black people, but ?we will never be on top completely? and working together will help us succeed. Do you think having total black control will end racism? All that does is reverse what happened to us back in the day and solves nothing. I was born in the 1980s and I have never experienced the true definition of racism which is slavery and no freedom of choice.

Today you still have small racist groups and they come in all colours but the majority of the community has gotten past that. But there are still people around who will not be happy until ? ?WE? have everything. The point of Independence goes back to people on this island who are still stuck in one phase with their blinders on who just can?t see past that.

Here are some questions for the people of the island to think about if we go independent:

What will happen if Outsourcing(Off-Shore Companies) becomes illegal; will we depend on tourism to keep us on top? Who will protect us if we are attacked, will we ask America to look out for us so then later they will make us one of their American territories which makes us have to learn a whole new set of rules for a new nation? What happens what we lose our British citizenship and our passports? What else besides for tourism will support us; fishing-loquat picking-gardening? What type of government set-up will we be run under? What happens when(if) our dollar value drops; we will not get paid these high cheques that we see every week.

I feel that we will not succeed and instead will be just a dot on that map along with a memory of those who travelled here of what it used to be like. I don?t think people have thought of these different future situations that can happen but instead they are focused on Blacks getting power and being on top.

I have talked to family, friends which are my age, and people in the community and I asked them how they feel. I would have to say that everyone who was over the age of 45 who really never got a chance for a proper education and have never spent more than a month in a foreign country want Independence. They give me simple excuses like having our own flag, not having our own national anthem, our strong economic situation now, us not getting all the rights that England should give to us, and what the Whites have taken from ?US?.

But the majority of the people between 23-35 think it?s the worst idea possible. I just think people need to think about the future (eight years down) instead of the present (one to three years away). If anyone wants to write me back about how they feel can write me at ThinkThenReacthotmail.com

MR. B

Southampton

P.s. It?s football, not soccer.

Let?s take our roads back

April 3, 2005

Dear Sir,

Funny isn?t it how with the passage of time certain laws and rules seem to be completely ignored. And the fact they get ignored gets ignored! I remember a time that the Motor Car Act used to be adhered to and enforced. I have to wonder if it remains a part of the law enforcement curriculum.

Let?s look at Sundays. We are seeing a huge increase of commercial vehicles on the roads on Sundays.

A couple of weeks ago there was a spot check on East Broadway followed by no announcements or warnings, so what do people do ? keep driving, figure one check every five years is good odds, why charge me and the others for a Sunday permit?

The Transport Control Department says towing most trailers (depending on permit) is only permitted between the hours of 9.15 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. but how often are we stuck behind trailers in the morning and evenings! Do they all have special permits?

The large fleet of GP cars are to be found in the most unlikely places. As a commercial vehicle operator (with a Sunday permit) I?m on the road a lot. It is not uncommon to find a loading zone occupied by a GP car; I?ve seen a GP on a Sunday grocery shopping outing and the GP school pick-ups. Does GP really mean ?Government Perk??

And finally I guess that now that the Corporation of Hamilton is making all that revenue from parking vouchers means they are now well off enough to have upgraded some of their fleet to large customised 4X4 trucks which are built for on and off road use (perfect for carrying those green cones). The problem is that while driving these trucks they are insulated from the deplorable, unsafe and uneven condition of some of the city roads. I advocate we send them around on pedal bikes for a week, then we would see some road fixing!

Maybe the fact that Government taxes us an insane amount (around $3 a gallon) for gas and makes millions from us drivers puts this whole issue in the shadows.

After all, if this wasn?t going on I guess they would stand to lose quite a bit of revenue. Maybe they can take some of our hard earned dollars and pitch in to fix the roads.

ALL REVVED UP

City of Hamilton