Big trucks a menace

September 20, 2004

Dear Sir,

Has anyone besides me noticed that driving in Smith?s Parish has become life-threatening due to oversized vehicles? The speed at which they are travelling is even more frightening.

Three weeks ago I was rear ended on the North Shore Road near Jennings Land when I slowed down as an approaching oversized truck signalled to me to get over. Luckily nobody was hurt.

Two days ago I found myself avoiding a head on collision at the Manor House Bridge in Smith?s as two moving trucks came around the bend on the centre line. Yes folks, the middle of the road! Works and Engineering have a cute sign posted at the bridge indicating a ten foot, six inch clearance in the middle.

What exactly does this mean ... that it is acceptable for oversized vehicles to drive in the middle of the road on a blind corner? This spot is destined for disaster. Surely if you can?t fit under the bridge on your side of the road then take another route. Or at the very least have oncoming traffic stopped ahead. Is that really asking too much?

Coming home from school today I had to yield to yet again, an oversized truck whose wheels were on my side of the road. This time I had the good sense, to hang my limbs out the window, in true Bermuda style so as to avoid another rear end accident. Excuse me, but I am getting tired of being run off my side of the road by trucks.

Speeding to disaster

September 22, 2004

Dear Sir,

People on the Island should already know it?s wrong to speed, or do they? Despite the numbers of accidents, some people still feel it?s necessary to do it.

Today a woman coming from Langton Hill did a sick thing. She sped past me (cool, no problem), then she pulls a ?ninja? past a Belco truck narrowly avoiding a bike on the other side and she still was ?hitting numbers?. (I probably should?ve let her go before me if I had known she was in that much of a hurry with her dark shades on).

I guess nothing will matter until someone dies since even around Nascar Rd.(Cox?s Hill Road), some people still drive like they?re at Watkins Glen or Sears Point. Oh well,the world is getting worse but paradise will come.

Porn policy is hypocritical

September 20, 2004

Dear Sir,

In response to the article on seizures of pornography published on the 18th September in , I have some comments.

I do not intend to become embroiled in a debate as to who may be responsible (or qualified for that matter) for dictating what we can and cannot enjoy in the privacy of our own homes. Goodness knows that we all lead wholesome lives free from the alleged sins of those outside our borders, and the existence of pornography (or as Customs puts it, ?obscene material?) within Bermuda would surely be seen as an outrage, if indeed it were present.

Well, I am sorry to inform you that this material does in fact exist. Bear in mind that I?m not talking about what Johnny has hiding under his mattress, or what Mary giggles about with her friends. I am referring to the material available for sale at many pharmacies and other retail outlets across the island.

In order to verify this point, one needs to accomplish two forgettable tasks. First, contact Customs and enquire as to what constitutes ?obscene material? under current legislation (for those more bashful than myself, the basic definition as provided by that department is material displaying intercourse through still photographs or video/DVD media).

Second, when armed with that information, march defiantly into a major pharmacy and purchase the latest edition of any top shelf magazine showing ladies on the front cover you wouldn?t bring home to mother.

Ladies and gentlemen, the photographs that greet your wandering eye when viewing your new acquisition will astound you. And believe me, the shenanigans that the photographed participants engage in are most definitely covered by the Customs definition of ?obscene?. In fact, my best friend?s nephew?s ace boy?s auntie?s boyfriend, who purchases this stuff regularly (or so I?m told by his best friend?s girlfriend?s ace girl), tells me that many such publications go well beyond what Customs would allow, leaving the basic definition behind in a cloud of hazy debauchery.

Why the double standard? Good question. There is no doubt that where someone wants this material but faces the choice between an embarrassing airport seizure with possible prosecution or the slight discomfort of staring down the part-time pharmacy cashier, that individual would surely skip into the pharmacy with a wink and a smile.

Yet, this double standard is perplexing. Customs knows that these companies bring this material in (and sell it!), because I personally have addressed this issue with them in the past. Yet nothing appears to have been done. But if you are discovered by Customs with a similar publication depicting the same kind of activity as that available on the shelves at the Phoenix for example, you will be dealt with. And the stories of Airport ridicule from those unfortunate enough to have their personal lives placed on public display are grim indeed.

You can buy it at various retailers around town. You can acquire a satellite and watch it in your home. You can access the Internet and view it just about anywhere. Apparently, you can even check into the Princess and view it there! Yet you cannot purchase it abroad and bring it in, for Customs will confiscate the material and leave you open to possible prosecution. On the basis of the above, can anyone please explain to me the rationale behind this crazy process of policy-making?

I?m not interested in who believes pornography (or erotic entertainment for that matter) to be right or wrong. Everyone has their opinion, and I?m sure that yours is right enough. Instead, I?d like a logical approach to the law, legislation and government policy. For it is inconsistencies like this that often create more problems than they solve.

So to legislators, customs and the police ? tighten up both strategy and policy on this issue, or simply do away with the legislation altogether. After all, I?m sure most Customs officers would rather be spending time focusing on more vital issues like drugs, firearms and my best friend?s nephew?s ace boy?s auntie?s boyfriend?s fourteen plasma TVs that he didn?t declare coming off Delta.

Unhappy with seats

September 24, 2004

Dear Sir,

I as a Bermudian, that has attended the Bermuda Music Festival every year since it has been hosted in Bermuda. I am very knowledgeable about the seating arrangements for the show.

I purchased several tickets for the festival four weeks ago for all three nights with the total amount being around $1,000 in total.

I first tried to purchase my tickets from Sound Stage that had a poor selection of seats; I then went to the Twenty-Seventh Century Boutique and found that they had the same selection to sell.

I enquired at both locations if the poor choice of seats came from me purchasing my tickets late and was informed that this was all that they were given to sell. In fact one of the vendors had informed me that they had complained to the Bermuda Departnment of Tourism about the seat selection that they were given to sell to Bermudians.

I then found out that that the tickets what were on sale online had the better seats. I went online to see what was available and found that the seating arrangements were of a much better choice to our overseas guest.

I feel that we as Bermudians should have equal opportunities for seating arrangements as our overseas guests.

In reference to Dr. Brown?s comments in onSeptember 23, 2004, ?Someone Needs To Get A Life?, maybe Bermudians do, so that we can live a lifestyle like his.

Hope Homes hurricane

September 21, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am very pleased that the citizens of Bermuda were able to contribute to the relief efforts for those who were devastated by Hurricane Ivan.

Tragically our own backyard is also in dire need of relief efforts. I speak of the current ?hurricane? that Hope Homes has been recently experiencing. Their plight has been going on for decades. Mrs. Douglas had the vision over twenty years ago to deinstitutionalise the challenged residents of a St. Brendan?s wing where they resided and provide them a loving and nurturing home. This woman should be applauded for dedicating her life and much or all of her money to keep her ?family.? This was not any ordinary residence but a family who has been together since Mrs. Douglas worked with them at St. Brendan?s in the Education wing.

She has provided for those challenged family members who have been taken under her wing to the best of her financial ability. This includes giving them a home, dignity, love and the ability to have the opportunity to do the most that they can do for themselves ? self worth.

I understand that accountability has to be shown for the finances given to Hope Homes. I am certain the money quoted as given over the years was barely or not enough to provide food, electricity, medication and other basic essentials in this overpriced island whole maintaining the physical property for such a large adult family.

Mrs. Douglas? daily maintenance of the house, the supervision and guidance of the occupants in making items to sell in their own shop probably did not allow Mrs. Douglas an ounce of energy to maintain accountability for the needed funds at the end of the day.

A home, an accountant and a monthly allowance is desperately needed to ensure that this hope and vision is not tragically destroyed by putting Hope Homes through a hurricane under our very noses. Is relief on the way?