A well paid thief August 17, 2002 Dear Sir, I saw in yesterday’s Royal Gazette <$>(August 16) a report that someone had been jailed for two and a half years for embezzling $400,000 from one of our local banks.

I agree that a custodial sentence is appropriate in a case like this, but it stands to reason that, if somebody has embezzled $400,000, somebody else has lost it, so I would therefore have to ask the following questions:

a) where is that $400,000 now, and;

b) why was no mention made of any possible repayment thereof?

By my reckoning, a 2 [1/2] year sentence for embezzling $400,000 works out at a profit of roughly $150,000 a year, which is about four times my present wage. “Crime does not pay”, huh? DAVIE KERR

St George’sSlow down, please! August 21, 2002Dear Sir,I would like to ask all of Bermuda’s drivers who are out on the road at 6 a.m. to please drive slowly and cautiously!

I am a dog owner and I walk my white Labrador around and down Paget Close and Pomander Road — every morning.

There is a taxi which comes “flying” into Paget Close around 6.15 to 6.30 a.m. everyday. He is in such a rush he never sees my big white dog and I. I’ve had to jump into many a hedge, because of fright, with my dog in tow!

Please be more careful when you are driving on estate roads ANYTIME, but especially at dawn 6 a.m. and dusk, 7 to 8 p.m.

NERVOUS DOG WALKER

Paget CloseNo to death penalty August 16, 2002Dear Sir,May I write about how dismayed I am at the number of people that seem to want to bring back the death penalty. The death penalty is nothing but legalised murder — under no circumstances should it be right to take the life of another person no matter what they have done.

When did two wrongs ever make a right? Murder is wrong — and everyone who is pushing for the death penalty to be brought back should be ashamed that they are condoning the taking of a life.

Also, the purpose behind sending people to jail is to keep them away from society and to take away their freedom. That is it. Why do people also want them to suffer Draconian conditions, no rehabilitation and by the sounds of it no food, clothing, education, etc.? It’s time that people decided what type of world they are trying to create — we are meant to be getting more civilised, not less so.

ANNOYED

Devonshire <$>Debate marijuana laws August 19, 2002Dear Sir,Given the gradual evolution of drugs policies currently taking place throughout the Western hemisphere, I wonder when the Bermuda Government is planning to address the issue of de-criminalisation for the possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use.

Should the Progressive Labour Party wish to live up to its progressive mantle, it might wish to consider the following:

Prof. Leslie Iversen, visiting professor of pharmacology at Oxford University and author of “The Science of Marijuana” (Oxford University Press, 2000) at a recent press conference conceded that cannabis “is a relatively benign drug. We have, I believe, greatly exaggerated its dangers”.

British MPs from all parties have agreed with the statement of Conservative MP Peter Lilley who has gone on the record to say that “no one could really argue coherently that cannabis was different from alcohol or tobacco, which are legal”.

Simon Hughes, MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary agrees that “to take a softer line on softer drugs is sensible. The public wants the prevention of violent and serious crime at the top of the Police’s list of priorities.”

Here in Bermuda, Dale Butler has said that he thinks there should be a national debate on the issue.

Renee Webb says that we should address the subject of decriminalisation but that, for her, it is not a priority issue. Well, that’s a pity because according to the National Drugs Commission, there are at least 3,400 cannabis users on the Island. That’s at least 3,400 residents that could be arrested and imprisoned for committing the victim-less crime of enjoying a relatively innocuous substance in the privacy of their own homes.

It is well documented, and the Dutch experience provides ample proof, that cannabis, whose effects are mostly relaxing and mildly intoxicating, can in no way be compared to the almost instantaneous addictive qualities of hard drugs which trap the user into a vicious cycle of drug-related crime and violence.

It is appalling that so much police and court time has to be wasted on dealing with prosecuting people (locals and hapless tourists) for the possession of minute amounts of cannabis when these institutions and their resources could be dealing with real problems.

Our politicians need to have the courage to recognise that current drug strategies aren’t working. They cost a lot of money and send out a confused message. I implore the people of Bermuda and their representatives to educate themselves about the use of cannabis and then commit themselves to dealing with those substances that are the true scourge of our society. Bermuda deserves common sense from its laws.

FREE THE WEED

Hamilton Parish<$> Age barrier to training August 16, 2002

This was sent to Terry Lister, Minister of Home Affairs and copied to The Royal Gazette.Dear MinisterWhile you are singing the praises of the National Training Board, kindly give some thought to persons, like myself, who have been turned down for assistance with retraining by the Board because I was unemployed. I applied to the NTB in May for financial support to attend the Bermuda College.

The course of study was the Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems. I had started working toward that discipline last year, on a part-time basis, when I suddenly became unemployed — with the downturn in the economy.

In a six-month period I had applied to over 600 employers for work, in general, including to every Information Technology firm for an apprenticeship in CIS — without success. Most of the responses from companies, which had vacancies, indicated that I was overqualified for any entry-level positions and/or was at an age whereby I would not be able to contribute sufficient years to their company pension fund. I have at least ten good working years before I turn 65. Notwithstanding, that many of these companies are practicing age-discrimination, the same is being done in government. (In fact, the former manager of Labour & Training stated that the department’s focus was on the young and not adults). If I was unemployed during the period of my application, do I now become unemployable and thus a burden on the taxpayer — for the rest of my life — through the Financial Assistance Department?

Ironically, my only prospect for work was as a student at Bermuda College with the College offering to assist with providing some type of paid work assignments, scheduled around my classes. If the NTB would re-consider my application, I would be more than willing to accept any funding as a loan to be repaid in installments, beginning January 2003.

Thank you for assisting with any re-consideration of my application to the NTB.

TIME RUNNING OUT

Pembroke<$>What makes a true leader? August 9, 2002Dear Sir,I would like to submit an open letter to the Premier of Bermuda, The Hon. Jennifer Smith MP JP.

Six months after November 9, 1998, I was concerned about the direction of Bermuda and the style of its leadership. It has been almost four years and I am still very much concerned about Bermuda’s direction and the style of its leadership. Please find attached a copy of the letter I presented to our leader.<$>

At some point in everyone’s life, one will, to a greater or lesser degree be required to lead others.

We all need the guiding hands of leaders. While this is true and important, it must be understood that leadership does not mean domination. This world is always well supplied with people who wish to control and dominate others.

A true leader must inspire those who follow his or her lead to realise their common goal.

Once a goal has been chose, the objective selected, the requirements imposed, a real leader participates with those who follow.

True leaders are those who raise the standards by which they judge themselves and by which they are willing to be judged.

Responsibility is an essential part of leadership. There are times when a leader must take council from others, but must be responsible for the final decision. This demands that he or she not be afraid of making mistakes.

Leadership demands that one submit themselves to a stricter self-discipline and develop a higher moral character than that expected of others. To be first in place, one must also be first in merit.

No matter how much is said about leadership, it is most important that a leader teach, assist, correct and inspire those who follow, and crate a desire for them to want to work with the leader when they are not obligated to do so.

A true leader is one who realises that he or she is an instrument in the hands of the Almighty God and dedicate him or herself to be a guide to others.

May the Almighty God guide those who have chosen to lead others, to the fullness of their responsibility.

BASED ON A SPEECH BY H.I.M. EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I

RAS MYKKAL

Devonshire<$>