January 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please see below my letter to Jamahl Simmons.

I think it is time that we the Pembroke West Voters were heard from.

Dear Jamahl,

I must say that I was extremely disappointed in your comments made on the News on Monday night. I was one of your supporters in the beginning, however I was also one who felt that Mr. Adderley would be the better man for the job now. You must remember that these same people that you have called racists on public television are the ones who voted you in after Mr. Pitman. Were we racist then?

Furthermore, you claim that we are so racist today yet the man that we want to replace you with is none other than a Black Bermudian. The difference is that Mr. Adderley is no stranger to us as we see him at church services, in the grocery store and various other places around our community and he always asks how things are and seems genuinely interested in what we have to say. You claim that he is more acceptable to us because he socialises with us. I think a better way to put it is that you are less acceptable to the people of Pembroke West because you were rarely seen or heard from, and it seemed more and more apparent that you were not interested in representing us. Race is completely irrelevant. And I personally feel that there may be some ulterior motives behind your recent attack on the UBP though I have not quite figured out what they could be.

Gone are the days of taxation without representation, and it is apparent that my fellow Pembroke West UBP neighbours felt the same.

It is a simple principle if you want to keep the job you have to do the work ... yes that is right, the work ... that is a principle that many of us seem to have trouble understanding. I know as I have experience in management positions trying my best to employ young Bermudians in entry level positions and it is disheartening to me to see that many of my generation or younger feel that they have the right to a job simply because they are Bermudian and they do not need to work hard to keep it!

I will be the first to admit that when you were first elected to represent us you were full of energy and eager to do the job bestowed upon you, however as time went on you seemed to forget where we were. I personally brought to your attention whilst passing in the street some issues that I had with regard to frequent unruly parties that were being held at two locations on the Admiralty House Grounds, hoping that as my MP you would lend your assistance. Assistance never came, and in the end I had to try to tackle the problems on my own. One issue has now been resolved and the other is ongoing, but again I did not feel your support in either of them and believe that I would have a much more positive response from Mr. Adderley.

So Jamahl, while I am disheartened by your lack of enthusiasm of late and your choice of comments towards us the people of Pembroke West, I can only say that I welcome Mr. Adderley back and rest assured that if he does not fulfil his position then we will seek to have him replaced too. I do however wish you the best in your future endeavours and would like to thank you for your contributions to our party over the past years. It is a shame you chose to end your relationship with the party by castigating many well meaning and hard working people just to try and cover up your shortcomings.

ERICA RANCE-CARIAH

A Pembroke West UBP Voter

January 13, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow me to give some perspective on GDP figures just released by Government. This data verifies my thesis that Bermuda's economy is overheated. Real GDP rose by 4.6 percent during the year. It was pointed out that GDP rose by 3.2 percent in the US in 2005, but that figure must be taken into context. During that period the Federal Reserve was in the midst of 13 consecutive interest hikes to try to slow the US economy down because, even at a 3.5 percent rate of growth, inflationary forces were building. If 3.5 percent was considered inflationary what do you think will be the effect of a 4.6 percent growth rate.

The main engine for growth has been international business, up 13 percent having moderated from the blistering pace of 17.2 percent the previous year. Construction rose by 21.2 percent; some eight percent faster than international business. Employment in the sector rose by eight percent creating 264 new jobs to an economy already at full employment. Naturally the real estate sector rose by 10.3 percent, well above the five year average growth rate. Government says this is due to "limited supplies... driving up rents". Of course, the objective of the construction sector is to increase the supply of buildings, but in fact the industry has not been creating the supply where it is needed most. (Neither has Government!) It is this disconnect that is contributing to the crisis in affordable housing.

Wholesale and retail is down in real terms by 2.4 percent. This is not a result of soft demand because residents increased their overseas spending by 14 percent during the year. The $76,403 GDP per capita is indeed a lofty figure and one of which Bermuda can be proud, but underneath this headline number we need to address the fact that skewed distribution is indeed an issue. True prosperity is not merely what you earn, but how much those dollars can buy, and the cost of living in Bermuda being what it is, particularly in housing, the reality for many Bermudians is not as favourable as the report implies. Yours truly,

SENATOR E.T. (BOB) RICHARDS J.P.

Warwick

January 5, 2007

Dear Sir,

To the driver of a black Renault Megane. You could have killed someone on Kindley Field Road this morning (Friday, January 5 at approximately 7.20 a.m.) You may have noticed that the key to successfully overtaking is that no one is coming the other way! You obviously lacked any common sense when you attempted to overtake two cars and a bike when there was a car approaching in the other direction. It was a shame that the lady coming the other way slammed brakes and swerved to avoid you; perhaps if your precious, shiny car had been smashed up you might have realised your stupidity.

Unfortunately you proceeded to overtake more vehicles, so the near miss wasn't enough. I have to add that the other four cars that followed your example (after the near miss) share the same lack of common sense. The ironic part is that you are driving recklessly to get to work; perhaps you should mention that dedication and determination in your next performance review. Please grow up and find some common sense.

THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE

St. George's

January 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

I recently had a gas gauge leak which was reported as an emergency and the gas was turned off. A new gas gauge was installed , a job which I would think took maybe 20-30 minutes. However when my bill arrived I was appalled to see I was charged for four hours labour, the reason being it happened on a Saturday morning, and all weekend work is charged at 2 hours, then double time? It was not my fault there was a leak, it was a hazard and needed attention, I would have thought there would be some adjustment depending on the circumstances. One hour at double time is acceptable but not two hours.

MONICA BERRY

Pembroke

December 22, 2006

Dear Sir,

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond to Calvin Smith's recent comments to the Editor of December 20. It was not my intention to question Mr. Smith's ability to speak as an authority on racism from his own perspective. Given that he is at the age where he has served our community for the majority of his lifetime, even having lived through the last days of segregation himself, his perspective on life, there certainly is a world of difference from that of younger generations. One that has no comparison. Today's youth have only the stories of their parents, grandparents, their family and friends who lived through such times. Imagine, 25-year-olds today were not even eligible to vote when the UBP were last in power, and thus could say little on what life was like when the UBP were leadership.

In reality, a 25-year-old might not know too much more about Bermudian politics then what they've seen with the PLP as government and only heard of the UBP. I am certain Mr. Smith could attest that hearing about something and living it are two very different things. The only thing the youth today have really seen is what the PLP have and have not achieved in the eight years that have passed. Have we seen the abysmal state of education? That which sets the foundation of a youth's future? Does a good education not open or close many doors of opportunity in the modern age? Many doors that were not available to Mr. Smith's generation, nor our forefathers.

Those youth today struggle to grasp how they'll be able to afford Bermuda's economy, as even those with a good education will struggle to ever own housing here. Could one speculate that even Mr. Smith himself retired off island due to the high cost of remaining here? Did he notice when the PLP were so eager to grow our economy that they allowed more companies and expat workers onto the island without ensuring that there was adequate housing? Yes, our economy has been booming, but does unbridled growth have its consequences? Has the housing shortage caused a cascading effect on the degradation of our society? Are the basic needs of many individuals no longer being met?

What else have the youth seen? How about the transition of three leaders in two terms? Not to mention the way the first one was ousted in mutiny. Have they not seen nearly the same party in power without much new blood and a few rounds of musical cabinet seats? Dr. Brown was indeed Transport Minister for most of this time, yet, traffic is abysmal and GPS didn't solve the taxi crisis. Is it surprising that we've now got a 'new hotel' getting a Special Development Order just in time for Christmas ? or (cough) an election? Doesn't the Club Med still sit abandoned? Remember KJA? In those eight years Dr. Brown can be remembered for saying things like he will always tell the truth, but might not tell all of it.

Could one understand how Dr. Brown would not want to answer a "Plantation Question"? Certainly. However, when a few of the questions targeted the Club Med deal, which ended up failing, do other questions then appear? We now play witness to Dr. Brown once again using race to defend against answering more questions. Why? Hasn't it gotten to be quite a few times that he has done it? At his convenience? Is it not surprising that, on one hand, Dr. Brown claims Dr. Gibbons a racist (but not a dog) without evidence, and condemns him for representing the white racist legacy. Then, on the other hand, he's rubbing elbows with the board of directors of the Mid Ocean Club to arrange for the big PGA Grand Slam, all on what might well have been on the same day. Does that not seem even a little bit hypocritical?

How many times can he use this as a tactic to not answer questions that maybe should have answers? This time it's the hospital with regards to Kurron. What if the best contract wasn't picked and there wasn't even more then one contender? What if it ends up like KJA or Berkeley? Can we afford to gamble with our future health? How do we get answers to these questions? Is it only the opposition who can ask them? What happened to the Public Access To Information act that the PLP themselves proposed? Have most other developed nations not beaten us to implementing it? Why can't the public know more? How do we know our government is truly being accountable?

It might be easy for someone of Mr. Smith's generation to appreciate Dr. Brown taking time out to give it to "the (de-facto) man", however, is it less easy for someone who has only known the PLP as 'the establishment' and knows little of the UBP? Perhaps is it time for Dr. Brown to start answering questions with actual evidence as opposed to song and dance?

DENIS PITCHER

St. David's

January 4, 2007

Dear Sir,

With all the shenanigans going on in Parliament these days. The sooner we have a television station which can broadcast the weekly sessions in Parliament, will be much welcomed by all and mostly housebound voters. The public gallery is not accessible to all, and the housebound voters who can see how their Parliamentarians behave may take a different approach to their voting rights at the next General Election. All Parliaments throughout the world banter back and forth but some are carried out decorously and not done in a 'Jerry Springer style'. I would hope in 2007 our Parliamentarians would show they have some class left in them.

January 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space in your valued columns to add support to those who are expressing concern over the number of Special Development Orders (SDOs) currently being considered by the Department of Planning. I would refer your readers to two letters appearing in your issue of Wednesday January 10, 2007 submitted by Alan R. Titus and Jonathan Starling respectively. In my humble opinion these two writers have clearly set out the sentiments of many very concerned Bermudians who are throwing up their hands in despair in the face of apparent disempowerment. With regard specifically to the proposed development of the Southlands estate, it seems reasonable to expect that we, the people of this fragile island, be given the opportunity to have our say on matters that concern us all much in the way that was done in the case of the threat to the Botanical Gardens.

ELIZABETH KAWALEY

Sandys

January 10, 2007

Dear Sir,

I don't know what the rest of the public think about Capital G's new ads but I have a problem with them. I hate them so much I turn down the radio every time one comes on. I have no objection to creative advertising, BUT for an institution that deals with my money I think the ads are corny and Gstupid.

LISA IN WARWICK

January 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

It was with some trepidation that I entered the emergency room reception area at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital on 9 January 2007. I was due to have surgery on my knee that morning, not a particularly invasive procedure, but one that apparently involved setting small robots loose inside my knee cap to laser away some torn cartilage that was causing me no end of grief. This was my first visit to the hospital as a patient ? in my 27 years I had so far managed to avoid any serious illness or road injury (touch wood). But now the moment had arrived, the petty villainies and appetites of my youth had conspired to bring me to this house of scalpels and stethoscopes. So, with the excesses of the holiday season still roiling in my guts, I placed myself in the care of the hospital staff, all the while conjuring troubling images of eggnog and mince pies interfering with anaesthetic on the operating table.

Happily however, my fears were totally unfounded. I wish I could remember everyone's name but I shall blame that on the anaesthetic. But to all of you, from the lady at the check-in counter, to the nurses who prepped me for surgery, to the anaesthesiologist who laughed at my lame jokes, to Dr. Couper and his surgery team, to the doctor in the physio room who gave me my cane, to the kind nurse who sat with me whilst I waited to be picked up and finally, to my dear friend Donna and all the other ladies in the recovery room who indulged my semi-delirious proclamations that they were the most beautiful nurses in all the land (not that you aren't, of course!), thank you so much for both your professional and personal care of this grateful patient!