Well done, Dr. Brown

October 1, 2004

Dear Sir,

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Brown, Minister of Transport/Tourism for the innovative changes undertaken at TCD.

While some may argue that these changes, the fast ferries, etc. are aesthetics and unnecessary while we still have housing, seniors and other issues in the forefront, I beg to differ. If you have certain people (the Opposition, property owners etc.) standing hard against change in those other areas of the Government, there should be no need to stagnate these departments and ministries that are ready to embrace positive and productive changes that are beneficial to Bermuda as a whole.

Dr. Brown is bringing the Bermuda Government technology into the present day and out of the Dark Ages. And as an E-commerce society he should be commended for his initiatives.

While on the topic of positive changes under his ministry, the Police department should now be fully embracing the concept of GPS after having to drive someone home who couldn't get a taxi! “YES to GPS!”

Well done, Dr. Brown - keep up the good work.

It was a pleasure to see you out gauging the concerns of your constituents this weekend. And not even an election in sight! It is just too bad that more elected officials don't think about the people who voted them into office like you do. Thank you for giving me what I voted for.

L. JEANANNE TUCKER

Warwick

Dangerous blind spot

October 4, 2004

Dear Sir,

When I heard about the accident which took place this past Saturday outside of our our local Ice Queen, I was shocked and horrified about the victim, the victim's family and the victim's reason for being here.

However, as a rider on this Island, I can see how such an event could take place as the exit and entry of the Ice Queen in my opinion are totally wrong.

I know from my own experience that when heading out from there, you sometimes ‘think' you are in the clear, only to put yourself in reverse and get beeped at in an annoying manner as it is such a blind spot.

To ensure that there would be less accidents in that area, which is very heavy with traffic, I would suggest that the Road Safety Council encourage that the entry/exit be changed around. The exit should be where the entrance is, as you can see more clearly the traffic ahead and behind you. My heart goes out to the Bigelow family.

TARAH

Smith's

We used to be happier

September 29, 2004

Dear Sir,

As an old person, I can see what is going wrong in Bermuda. First of all, we are very overcrowded, nothing is peaceful anymore. Why? Money is the root of it all. In the 1940s to 1960s we had less money but you did see faces that could smile. Now we see very stressed-out Bermudians. We thought we did the right thing in allowing the business world like international companies to come in, but now we have too many. We should have only allowed ACE and XL, now we are swamped. With that come a housing shortage, enlarged restaurants, buildings for foreign workers, then we have more cars, bicycles, etc. on our roads.

Everywhere is a mad rush and its all because of money. When we had a good tourist trade it was great, maybe not rich, but happy and smiling. And then we had mothers that did stay home and look after their children and those children today are very stressed and worried for their very own children.

I can remember the good old 1940 to 1960s. We did not have a lot but we were a lot happier.

Now it's drugs and the almighty dollar and no good down the road. The worst is yet to come and we did it all by ourselves.

Greed and overcrowding is the key.

OLD BERMUDIAN

Devonshire

Review guidelines

September 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

Please allow me the opportunity to express some concerns regarding planning regulations concerning the development of Bermuda's environment.

There was a letter in the paper stating that the penalties for a person illegally clearing and or developing their property were insufficient to deter this illegal practice. I agree that the penalties should be reviewed and increased. However, I believe that the penalties should be widened to also include the contractor who is carrying out the work without the proper permit. This person is benefiting monetarily for undertaking an illegal excavation and or construction. The onus to undertake any development should also fall on the person/company carrying out the work to ensure that the necessary permissions have been obtained. Increasing the monetary penalties, confiscation of excavation and or building equipment and increasing the term of custodial imprisonment for both parties would put a halt to these illegal practices.

I also believe that it is time for planning policies and regulations to be put in place in regards to heights of residential development. As open spaces designated for development become scarce, there will be an increasing number of building applications for two and more storey residential development that is both new construction and more importantly renovation projects that will result in existing roofs of residences being removed and a second floor or more added to increase space. Planning rules and regulations need to be put in place to protect surrounding neighbours sight lines. The views property owners enjoy from their property are a critical factor that contributes to the value of their property. The onus to object to a development blocking a homeowner's view and detracting from their property value, should not fall on them to constantly check the building applications in the paper each week and get a letter of objection in within a two-week period. A comprehensive set of planning rules and regulations, concerning heights of residential development and the protection of sight lines and views of existing buildings needs to be established.

This will also protect developers from over paying for a piece of property. The value of property in Bermuda depends on location and or views and for undeveloped property what it is zoned for and what can be developed on it. The amount of total sight coverage is the same for one story, two storey and or three or more storeys if they are on the same initial footprint.

The time to review the planning guidelines for Bermuda is now. As the Island becomes more densely populated, the importance of open unobstructed views becomes more important to create at least a sense of psychological open space.

SEEING CLEARLY FROM GIBBS HILL

Southampton

Don't rock the boat

September 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am very alarmed by the writings of our Premier as written up in the Mid-Ocean News. The “Social Agenda” has been tried in many countries, and it does not work. Mr. Scott and his party seem to want us to follow in the footsteps of our southern neighbours and nowhere in that area has any country as good a standard of living for the average person as we have here.

Government ventures into business - like the building industry - have proven financially disastrous. Can we trust them? Should one doubt that if they had their hands on more money through taxation that the money would be wasted through mismanagement and corruption?

An increase in taxation would not raise the standard of living but lower it. More unproductive people would be paid money for doing nothing and to collect and redistribute that money would mean more imported “expats” to be paid. It would mean the exodus of foreign capital. Mortgage rates and therefore rents would increase.

The creation of wealth comes through effort and initiative in business. This is the capitalist system. It is the only one that history has shown works.

If that wealth is wasted and dissipated then our Island's standard of living must decline. Please Mr. Scott do not rock the boat otherwise we will all find ourselves in hot water.

ERASMUS

St. George's

Customer always right?

October 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

I bought a pair of shoes that were supposed to cure pronation. Little did I know that my problem was a result of another bone problem.

That wasn't important at the time, so I bought the shoes expecting them to be the cure to all my problems. When asked whether to walk out with the shoes or in the box, I opted to walk out. There was no visible sign stating there were no returns or credits for those who walk out of stores in their shoes.

The shoes created another problem with my knees, and I wanted to return them. I was promptly denied. I asked for a credit to get something else. Denied. It appears that the ones with the most problems lose out. There was no sign that you can't get a return for walking out of the store to see if they are really that good. They hinted that I was lying and didn't believe me that the shoes didn't benefit me.

Now I'm stuck with a $109 pair of shoes and have no use for them. They're in perfect condition, and that didn't matter because they didn't even look at them. What happened to a service where the customer's satisfaction is what matters? It appears that these guys appearing to be helpful are really wolves in sheep's clothing.

It's time for Bermudians to grow up and take goods back that don't suit you. It's not our fault that products are not good for us, but it is their fault that they marketed them to be the solution to our problem. As a young male, I feel hopeless, and I hope that other businesses will step up and become reliable servants.

MICHAEL BRANGMAN

Warwick