Help achieve excellence

September 17, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am writing with regard to a series of advertisements that is running in your publication this week, hoping that these ads will pique the interest of anyone who would like to make a meaningful difference in the lives of hundreds of talented young people in Bermuda.

The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda is inviting applications for the positions of executive director, development officer and programme coordinator. As covered in the media during the past week, this process follows an independent audit of the Foundation's staffing requirements by PricewaterhouseCoopers, resulting in the validation of the need for these full-time positions to achieve the Foundation's mission.

Purely from a personal perspective and not as a formal communication from the Foundation, I would like to urge any qualified Bermudian who is passionate about the arts, and who believes in the power of dance to develop focused and committed young people, to apply for one of these positions. The Foundation is at an exciting juncture in its long-term development. Being a part of its continued growth will be a stimulating and fulfilling experience.

I say this from first-hand experience, having acted as advisor to the Foundation for the past three years, an enormously satisfying experience. In June of this year, I was pleased to rejoin the Board of Directors to continue to help develop the Foundation.

The Board of the National Dance Foundation is dedicated to providing talented dancers, teachers and choreographers with a world-class training experience. Its success in this regard in under three years has been remarkable, and it has only just begun.

From its partnership with American Ballet Theatre, to its alliances with The Ailey School, The Paul Taylor School and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, to its good relationship with the public and private sectors, a diversity of dance training has been provided to hundreds of dancers and teachers from across the Island, often at no cost. With ballet as the core training discipline, students have received world-class training in modern, jazz, Broadway jazz and hip hop.

Just some of the National Dance Foundation's accomplishments to date:

• Over $250,000 in scholarships has been awarded for study in Bermuda and abroad "a robust master class series for students and teachers, completely funded by PartnerRe and offered at no cost to participants, is entering its second year and due to PartnerRe's continued generosity, has been expanded for the 2007-2008 academic year

• Bermuda's Emerging Dance Artists (BEDA), a training programme for aspiring Bermudian dance teachers has been established, seeding the ground for a cadre of professionally trained teachers to join the Island's established dance schools

• DanceBermuda, an international intensive dance institute offered here in Bermuda by audition to talented dancers, has gained a reputation abroad was one of the best on the competitive summer dance circuit and has enhanced Bermuda's reputation overseas as a community which values excellence in the performing arts.

Successful candidates for these three positions will have the support of a Board and Honorary Board with an impressive depth of experience in business as well as the performing arts. Chairman (and insurance veteran) Don Kramer is joined by Butterfield Bank chief executive officer Alan Thompson, ALAS Director Operations and Finance Carlos Lee, Bank of Bermuda general counsel Sonja Salmon, Bank of Bermuda executive Cole Simons and Amlin Counsel Alison Purvey-Adams.

Extensive knowledge of dance and the performing arts is provided by, among others, Sophia Cannonier and Mary Faulkenberry, both of whom are among the few Bermudians to have enjoyed an impressive professional career in dance, Director of the Somerset School of Dancing Sal Hodgson, Dame Jennifer Smith, Ruth Thomas, Georgine Hill. Jean Hannant, who for 13 years was the chairman of the National Dance Theatre and, of course, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Victoria Rowell, whose support of the Foundation and its goals has been unwavering.

To those considering an application to the National Dance Foundation, please remember that the opportunity to help build an organisation of lasting value to the community comes along only rarely. And while the mission of the Dance Foundation is to provide world-class training to the dance community, the real longterm benefit is the effect that bringing young people of diverse backgrounds together has on the manner in which our young people relate to one another.

The National Dance Foundation is unaffiliated with any school or company on the Island and because of that neutrality, brings students from across Bermuda and from the five major dance schools together to share their love of and passion for dance.

Aside from the barriers broken down by this opportunity, it's a "rising tide raises all boats" scenario: students attend workshops and master classes offered by the Foundation, returning to their regular dance school or company not only with added skills and technique but also with renewed vigour, perspective and enthusiasm.

As Bermuda grapples with issues of race, class and other aspects of the Island's growing diversity, our young people need opportunities to get to know and understand each other. They need to see that their common love of the arts (or sport or academics) is a unifying force that breaks down any differences that may keep them separated. Yes, it's a cliché that our children are our future ¿ but they are.

The programmes offered by the National Dance Foundation are an investment in the healthy future of our young people and the Island's wellbeing. While young men and women training in the dance studio are learning how to focus and to commit to being their best, they are also learning that they are more the same than they are different, and that the differences are quite irrelevant to the relationships that can and should be nurtured.

I urge those with the requisite experience and qualifications to have a good look at these positions. Helping to build a strong Bermuda, based upon excellence and accomplishment, deserves your serious consideration.

WENDY DAVIS JOHNSON

Paget

Solution to dumped bikes

September 15, 2007

Dear Sir,

In response to "A Solution to Problem of Dumped Cycles" of August 31, 2007:

We recently had a situation where a bike had been abandoned in our neighbourhood. Making contact with the responsible authorities to request removal of the bike was the initial challenge. With a bit of determination we managed to track them down. They are indeed out there!

To make a long story short, here is the proven process of reporting and disposing of abandoned bikes:

Step 1) Phone Police Headquarters, report an abandoned bike, provide the licence plate number, estimated time the bike has been in the location. Prior to the biking being deemed "abandoned", the Police must do an internal check to ensure it has not already been reported stolen. If not, then we can proceed to Step 2.

Step 2) Phone TCD ¿ ask for Mrs. Sealey. Provide her with the license details, location of bike and verbal report from the police.

Step 3) TCD then contacts W&E (Mr. Outerbridge's crew at Bailey's Bay) and provides them with the proper authorisation to proceed with disposal. They will visit the site and place a sticker on the bike advising the public that it is officially abandoned, then collect for disposal.

A few weeks on, I noticed that the bike (what remained) had not been collected. Not to despair. I phoned TCD with a gentle reminder, and within an hour it was collected and presumably taken to Bailey's Bay, where it was disposed of in a manner compliant with Bermuda's environmental standards (a topic for another day!).

As citizens (or in our case, residents), it can be discouraging when we want to be pro-active, be part of the solution, take appropriate actions, ultimately make a difference in our community.

Yet we struggle to find the correct contacts or sources responsible to facilitate this outcome.

In this particular case, a few phone calls, a bit of patience and to their credit, a few exceptionally helpful people at TCD, W&E & the Police Department, and I feel like we've made a difference in our neighbourhood.

POSITIVE VIBES FROM PAGET

Where is Pegasus?

September 17, 2007

Dear Sir,

Mr. Christopher Andrew is intending to revisit Bermuda in December on a nostalgic tour after a very long period abroad and has asked me if I knew the whereabouts (or continued existence) of a vessel that was once owned by his father on or about 1950 called Pegasus, and evidently then moored off of Lower Ferry.

It occurred to me that you may perhaps be willing to publish a "public interest" inquiry as to whether any of your readers may have any recent knowledge of the whereabouts (or even continued existence) of this vessel, and if so, may therefore perhaps be now willing to share this information with Mr. Andrew, please.

I thank you for your kind attention and consideration in the hope that Mr. Andrew's inquiry may enjoy far more success than my own very limited knowledge will otherwise permit! (In reviewing the bow view, it does look very much like a reef charter fishing boat most recently called the Eureka, and moored off of Harbour Road to the South West of White's Island. Do any of your readers know whether this is perhaps the same boat?

TED GAUNTLETT

City of Hamilton

Mr. Andrew's letter follows:

This may be a real long -shot , but perhaps worth a try. Back in 1948 {?} my Dad shipped a motor launch to Bermuda from the UK.

It was moored off Lower Ferry. After we left the island in the early 1950s, I lost track of the boat, Pegasus. I have no evidence of her ever leaving . There is a slim chance that she is still with you somewhere and would now be a wonderful example of a "classic" wooden motorboat.

I wonder if anyone in the local boating fraternity might recognise her.

The top photo is of her being towed to L.F. just after unloading from the freighter in Hamilton.

The lower photo is earlier in the UK, quite a good bow shot. I think she would probably stand out in a crowd!

Once again, this is possibly a wild goose chase. However, knowing you to be a boater and "on the scene", I reckon worth a try.

CHRISTOPHER ANDREW

clemachris@execulink.com

Mr. Dunkley's ignorance

September 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

This letter is in reply to Michael Dunkley's letter in yesterday's (September 13) Royal Gazette.

Mr. Dunkley's remarks in his letter were just as ignorant as they were when they were printed in the article he referred to. The fact that he chose to use a young man's death to gain political brownie points shows that he has no respect for the family of the young man or for the community as a whole.

That young man's death (and I say young man because I am sure his family is tired of seeing his name everywhere without a solution to finding his killer behind it) had nothing to do with politics, therefore politics should not have been brought into it. It is very sad that Mr. Dunkley has to try and "milk" what he can out of everything to try and win over the people. To go that low only shows how desperate he, and because he is their leader, the UBP, is to get back into Government.

It also shows that they really don't care about about that young's mans death or any similar situations. I would even go as far as to suggest Mr. Dunkley was happy to see it happen because in a very twisted and sick way it gave him another reason to point the finger at the PLP Government. Fortunately, most Bermudians are smarter then that and will brush it off as the sick and childish display that it was.

If Mr. Dunkley really does believe what he said, then that goes to show how far off he really is when it comes to the young people of Bermuda. So I would like to help him out a little bit. The BHC issue and other questions that the PLP Government has not answered to has nothing to do with the reason young people have not come forward as of yet to help with this case or others like it. Trust me, there is no young person at home saying: "I know who did it but I'm not going to say anything because the PLP aren't answering questions about the BHC issue."

They are not coming forward for a number of reasons Here are a few:

• The fear that if they speak up they will be a target and will fear for their life for some time to come;

• The fact that they may be friends with the person that did it and therefore don't want to get their friend in trouble;

• The fact that they may be somehow involved in it themselves and therefore may be scared of what may happen to them if they speak up;

• They may be scared of or dislike the police and won't help them no matter how serious the case;

• They may follow the no snitching rule of the streets; or

• They may feel that they don't know enough to help.

Now I'm not saying that I agree with all these reasons. I am just bringing some of the reasons to light.

Mr.Dunkley, every time you appear on TV or in the paper you make me even prouder to be a young member of the PLP.

At least they are far more in tune with young people than your UBP is and don't need to make desperate moves to win people over.

One thing you should know however, whether you care or not, is when you make false claims that pertain to young people for political gain I will reply to set the record straight, not only because I am a young member of the PLP but also (no disrespect to Gina Spence-Farmer), I am the real voice/spokesmen for young Bermudians because I am a young Bermudian and will work to ensure that the issues and needs of young Bermudians are addressed and met.

So you can keep with your weak "the milk man delivers"gimmick because we have a good doctor leading us. We are lactose-intolerant to your milk and the doctor has the CURE.

MAKAI DICKERSON

Sandys

New Ten Commandments

September 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

These seem to be the Ten Commandments of the PLP over the past eight long years:

1) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God (Ewart Brown) in vain ¿ ever ¿ or speak words that he would not spake ¿ ever.

2) Thou shalt not shout thy crowning glories (a la Tiger Woods) until thy have been crowned.

3) Thou shalt only take what funds are necessary to make us wealthy, but, under no circumstances, will thy be required to benefit all of our people ¿ just the ones that count. (Definition: Vote or run as Candidates for us; play golf with our Lord; or own a construction company)

4) Thou shalt not recognise the abuse of senior citizens unless, and until, The Royal Gazette reports the story ¿ and then only do what is absolutely necessary to make the story go away. (Addendum: Thou shalt wish Louise Jackson had never been born!)

5) Thou shalt not stab our members of Parliament (especially our Leaders) in the back ¿ unless, in the opinion of a Committee of The Elite at Alaska Hall, it is absolutely necessary.

6) Thou shalt not lie to our own members, nor the People of Bermuda, unless it is absolutely necessary. (see Number 5 above)

7) Thou shalt not listen to the will, opinions or other democratic decisions of our Branch Members unless they happen to pick the same candidate agreed to by our Lord and Master (see Number 1 above)

8) Thou shalt not recognise the existence, value or opinion of any white person unless that white person plays golf with our Lord and Master or owns a construction company.

9)Thou shalt worship the Sands of Dubai; its Banks and developers; for they shall not do, nor see, any evil and they will open their doors to us whenever we go there on the Weekend Excursions on our Air Dubai Frequent Flyer Miles.

10) Thou shalt not accept titles, honours or other decorations from The Chief Plantation Owner, Queen Elizabeth II, unless it suits our purposes and makes us look better, more important and superior to all our members who didn't get one.

'SINNER' SAMMY CLEMENS

Southampton