Feeling flushed with rage

February 28, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space in your forum to express my total disgust with the bathroom policy at Leisure Time Video rental on Queen Street, Hamilton.

On Saturday February 26, 2005 at about 8 p.m. I went to this establishment with my six-year-old son to rent games and movies, as we quite often do.

After making our selection we got into the line which was the length of the front counter and curving around to the back of the store. It was at this time that my son informed me that he had to use the bathroom. I told him to try and hold it, but he had to go in a bad way. (just #1)

I left him in the line to hold our spot and went up front to the cashier to ask where the bathroom was. She informed me that Leisure Time does not have a bathroom. I enquired where she uses the bath room while at work. She then said that they do have a bathroom, but customers are not welcomed to use it.

My question to the owners/managers of Leisure Time is this, why can't the very people that you depend on to keep you in business use your facilities?

May I suggest that you have your bathroom made available upon request with a key being kept at the front, as KFC does, which is where we were forced to go for him to relieve himself.

I then drove to WW Video Store on Parliament Street where I will be conducting my business from now on. And yes, they allow their customers to use their bathroom.

RIA MAYES

Ocean Sands Drive

Warwick

Trusting in people

March 8, 2005

Dear Sir,

On behalf of the Bermuda National Trust I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Bermudian community for the extraordinary amount of volunteer support we have received during the past few months.

In December the Trust's Christmas Walkabout in St. George's was the perfect start to the festive season. More than 2,000 people rambled the quaint streets of the old town, enjoying the lights, entertainment and refreshments. Each year this event is a great community night out, thanks to the many volunteers who help on the night, donate food and refreshments, the fantastic floral arrangers and, of course, the many businesses, churches, entertainers and the Corporation and the people of St. George's.

Through the month of February the Trust organised a Children's Nature Walk, Plant & Bake Sale, Auction and Jumble Sale, a major Raffle and Tennis Tournament and the staff are humbled by the incredible support we received. Our Children's Walk at Warwick Pond enabled 200 youngsters to enjoy a guided tour, which could not have taken place without the specialist guides from Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo, and our own specialist volunteers.

More than 250 people volunteered through all events, including many of Bermuda's young men and women; dozens of people participated in the tennis; more than 100 people sold raffle tickets with 12,000 tickets sold; over a hundred organisations and individuals generously donated auctions items, prizes and money - and because of this the Trust has managed to raise more funds than ever before, over $120,000 towards our operating budget. The support from all aspects of the community has been tremendous. The funds raised will help guarantee that the land and buildings in the Trust's care will always be of benefit to Bermudians and the next generations, long into the future.

The Trust's joint project with the Bermuda Audubon Society for the Buy Back Bermuda Campaign to raise $1.7 million to acquire land at Somerset Long Bay is also receiving enthusiastic public support, and we are now working towards reaching the more difficult second half of our target.

As a registered charity, the Trust is a volunteer led organisation that relies on donations and fundraising events and I would like to thank everyone who contributed and participated. Without the support of the community we would be unable to carry out the vital work needed to preserve Bermuda's places of natural beauty and historic interest and to promote their appreciation through our education programmes.

We welcome everyone to join us at our next event. The Palm Sunday Walk on March 20 will explore St. David's - the walk starts at Clearwater Beach at 2 p.m.

STEVE CONWAY

Executive Director

Traffic offence

March 6, 2005

Dear Sir,

With your kind permission, I should like to address this letter to the young woman driving a Red Car, on Church Street at 4.57 p.m. Saturday, March 5.

At a stop light, I was alongside this car. Blaring forth at extremely high volumes was a vocal being played, the lyrics of which were totally unacceptable, to say the least! Over and over and over were the obscene words “Don't F*** With Me” loud and clear! I am sorry to say the young woman and her female companion could only laugh inanely when I protested! It was an extremely unpleasant incident.

There were no children in my car (I do hope there were none in hers) but no one on the street of any age could fail to hear those offensive lyrics.

It's bad enough that we have to put up with the blaring radios and tapes, but the added ingredient of being bombarded with obscenities is entirely too much!

I am saddened, actually, to think that such vulgarity is entertainment for so many but at least we should insist that they keep it to themselves and not broadcast it to the rest of us.

Thank you for printing my letter which I hope may cause this young woman (and others) to realise that they are not only breaking the law, they are lowering Bermuda's cherished values.

M TRICKER

Paget

How would you spend $1m?

March 9, 2005

Dear Sir,

What does one million dollars buy you these days?

Apparently, if you're HSBC, it buys you (at a minimum) an exemption to Government's recently announced Land Policy regarding the sale of property by Bermudians (assuming of course that Trimingham's is still majority owned by Bermudians) to non-Bermudians.

KEG

Pembroke

A fiasco in the making

March 6, 2005

Dear Sir,

The run up to the lottery for Harbourside village is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

Somehow noble intention and simple economics got muddied by socialist idealism and the project is a fiasco in the making. I've said it before: Harbourside is a trap. It's a trap because it should be a stepping stone, not a destination, an investment which allows the occupant to accrue equity and move on to the pink cottage with a bit of backyard.

Instead it is a financial dead end. It's a trap for those who are gifted with a real home for an artificially low price because they will only be allowed to resell it at an equally artificially low price. They will never get out with enough equity to purchase anything in the real world.

It's a trap for the unwary souls who pay market rate to live in a low-cost housing project and find their investment only depreciates because their home's value is dictated by the value of the houses around it which are held at the aforementioned artificially low price.

A housing plan is not about delivering little pink pipedreams, built on a misallocated $32 million waterfront lot. The harsh reality is that home ownership is a goal that some will never achieve and that they would be better served putting their resources into their children's education so that they may succeed where their parents could not. Harbourside is a financial fantasy with a not so surprising unhappy ending.

A real housing plan is about making the best use of resources to build tiers of housing to address the real needs in the market, emergency housing for the truly homeless, affordable rentals for those who don't stand a chance of buying in the real world, new construction techniques and building codes to reduce the cost of construction and ongoing operation of homes for the entry level and middle class and appropriate mechanisms to ensure the viability and foreign exchange earnings from the luxury and non-Bermudian markets.

Craig Simmons hit the nail on the head when he described the middle class as the engine of the economy. It is unconscionable that this government has chosen to ignore the middle class home buyer, except to encourage them to either finance the Harbourside trap or continue to scrap it out for $1.2 million entry level homes.

JONATHAN DYER

Hamilton Parish

There's black bigotry too

March 7, 2005

Dear Sir,

The building of an economic order is not new within a group. The building of racial dignity and a better image is not new.

Over many years the system that 90 percent of black Bemudians have been living under has been perverted. The thing to do is correct and not destroy it. There must be a new order if grass root blacks are going to survive. Under the old order, ten percent of blacks including lawyers, doctors, school principles dentists accountants and Union leaders, mainly products of Berkeley Institute, have advanced themselves economically at the expense of we grass root brothers and sisters. We have have been victims of black oppression bigotry and moral hyprocracy.

These black Berkeley elitists know that at least 90 percent of grass root blacks would use their services. Therefore they saw no reason to put together any business that would benefit low income grass root black Bermudians with black households in the majority. They would not even consider a business selling household goods, simply because as individuals black professionals they were going to have economic growth in their chosen profession.

RAYMOND RUSSELL

Pembroke

Thanks to all of you

January 31, 2005

Dear Sir,

On Monday 3rd January 2005, whilst travelling home on a “MyTravel” (Airtours Plc) charter flight from the Dominican Republic to the United Kingdom, I suffered a suspected heart attack. A doctor and a medical student on board, together with the captain of the aircraft, wisely decided in mid-ocean that the plane should turn back to Bermuda International Airport where I was off-loaded (with my wife Deirdre) and despatched to King Edward VII Memoral Hospital.

I have nothing but praise for the Emergency services - Paramedics, Bermuda Police and Fire Brigade - who rushed to attend and somehow treat and remove me from the cramped cabin that so typifies charter aircraft.

My wife and I were left with the clothes we stood up in, in a country we did not know, in the dark and late at night - almost as frightening as the pain I was feeling.

What an absolute pleasure - delight even - and a comfort it was that the hospital staff, without exception, rallied round for our support. My wife was immediately befriended by Debbie, the Director of Voluntary Services and Marion, one of the famous “Pink Ladies” who made sure my wife had accommodation (at the Elbow Beach Hotel which I understand is luxurious) and then found clothing, bus maps, gave guidance on places to eat, what to see, and hospital visiting.

The hospital was clean, and with efficient and friendly, knowledgeable and communicative staff. I know that all medical services on the Island are paid for by the patient - and you get what you pay for - but, goodness me, the UK's National Health Service has in general long forgotten what it is to reach Bermudian standards.

Did I recover? Well, of course I did despite some very stressful tests. The hospital even sorted out our financial situation, liaised with our insurers and arranged with them to return flights to the UK.

It really was a shame (!) that I was discharged two days before the first available flight but that enabled my wife and I do but merely sample the delights of Bermuda. Perhaps just as well it wasn't too long as Trimingham and Aubreys relieved me of enough credit as it was, but long enough to find out how charming and friendly everyone is - residents would smile and pass the time of day, bus drivers would do the same. The weather was sunny and warm, and I was glad to relax.

I would ask you through the pages of your newspaper, to express our gratitude to all the good people of Bermuda, to the staff of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, the hotelliers at Elbow Beach and Grotto Bay who looked after my wife and latterly myself with such professionalism, and to the personnel at the Airport for their help, kindness and good wishes.

It's great to be alive!

BRIAN AND DEIRDRE MORGAN

The price is right. Or is it?

February 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

Recently in your paper there was a story about a lady trying to bribe a Customs officer. There was a statement about paying the duty on the “true value” of her purchases.

What is the “true value”? Is it the price you paid, with or without tax? Is it the price the product was before it went on sale? Or the price the high-end retailer sells it for, even though you bought it at a discount shop? It could be “Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price” (MSRP), the price you see on TV but you know places sell it a lot cheaper? Or in manufacturing terms, the true value of something is what is cost to manufacture the item, usually pennies on the dollar to what you actually pay for it.

In the past I have asked different custom officers that question, and have got different answers.

BARGAIN HUNTER

Pembroke