Unbelievable idea

December 16, 2005

Dear Sir,

Bermuda?s ?Well I Never!?: The fact that the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-commerce actually think local people here would want to pay extra just to watch local TV on cable if they don?t have an antenna.

Protect individual rights

December 19, 2005

Dear Sir,

When I hear ?we are you leaders? and the word ?mandatory? all expressed in the same thought it makes me nervous. I do not wish, nor would I support, any leaders who arbitrarily make things mandatory. Sometimes however it is necessary to mandate in order to keep things flowing to the benefit of the country as a whole i.e. it is mandatory that we all drive on the same side of the road; if it were not so, we would be running into one another all of the time.

When individual rights are chipped away by mandates it tends to make the Constitution look like a sham; too weak to do what it is supposed to do. Protect the Rights of the People. Is our Constitution a sham? Is it strong enough to protect the rights of the people? The Constitution is supposed to protect us all equally. ?What?s good for the goose is good for the gander?. Right? If the Constitution protects us, all, the people, from someone or some authority stepping up to us one fine day and saying ?Hey, you, we?re just going to run this little test on you, don?t worry, it won?t hurt?; then surely it must equally protect the rights of Members of Parliament. And if it does not protect them, how in the world can I imagine that it has the stuff to protect me? I couldn?t be more pleased that the Honourable Perinchief stood up. Some things have to be mandated, but to mandate anything that erodes our individual rights as a people does serious damage to the one thing that is supposed to keep us bonded.Our Constitution.

I know that there are serious issues with substance abuse in Bermuda and hopefully, with different approaches, we will finally see some relief. Let?s not mandate stuff based on one?s orthodox views and beliefs. This kind of mandating created the Taliban.

EVA A. HODGSON

Crawl

Buying Bermuda

December 23rd, 2005

Dear Sir,

Buy Bermuda ? why? Unbelievable! No wonder locals don?t wish to shop in Bermuda, the rudeness, impatience and dam outright impolite behaviour of some of the staff working in the stores in Bermuda are some of the main reasons I will never shop in Bermuda for Christmas again.

I have been yelled at, told to wait when I am the next to be served, was being served and then the clerk blatantly started serving the other customer when I was not finished, listened to clerks bad mouth the previous customers, listened to the staff saying ?it?s not my job I am not doing it, what you see is what you get?.

I will list a few stores that can definitely use some further training in manners and customer service and relations:

The Complete Office

The Phoenix Store on Reid Street

Gibbons Company

So where do I shop now? Online and if I cannot find what I am looking for I call a friend overseas and have them mail it to me.

I refuse to be subjected to such poor service and blatant disrespect for the customer.

Especially when the customer is a nice one and there is no reason at all for such bad customer service.

Making report useful

December 7, 2005

Dear Sir,

We have all been suffering from formidable indigestion this week, after reading the total cost of the BIC at $338,000.

Anyone obtaining a copy of this great work by accident (I tripped over a stack of them delivered to the tiny Bailey?s Bay post office several weeks ago, so took the one attached to my toe with me) or by intent, you will no doubt be as incredulous as I am over this figure.

The only way to deal with this is to see the ridiculous side once we have paused to reflect the reality that this amount of money could have paid for a monthly rent of ? let?s say ? almost $1,700 (near realistic) for 16 families for one year.

My seditious friends and I have been racking our brains as to what the books could be used for ? certainly not in all seriousness as a basis for a green or white paper; toilet paper perhaps, but one of our number has covertly put this to the test, and has established zero absorbency, due to the very costly, glossy finish.

Our resolved aim is to come up with 101 uses for the BIC book so at least all cash is not lost.

We therefore look to you, Sir, to help us by publishing this appeal to the broader public.

We have established an e-mail address to collect readers? suggestions:

bic338yahoo.co.uk.

This will in due course be followed by a website listing all that come in.

The best and the 101st will receive a prize of the complete works on Rolfe Commissiong?s night table. Well, not the actual works, which might involve a spot of breaking and entering, but copies. We don?t want to risk harm to any one of our gang by actually breaking the law, or God forbid frightening the daylights out of Mr. C.

Some have arrived already reportedly tried and tested:

Self defence at police station (instead of wasting a good telephone book)

Doorstops (pile of three sufficient)

Row of three behind door to stop drafts

Bermuda roofing slates when local stone in short supply (after glue applied three edges to keep them firmly sealed, or simply left in their cling film)

Unopened delivery packs stacks of ten as airline chocks (not actually tried and tested but we?re still hoping to disguise one of our gang as a DAO employee ).

Well, we await eager participation, but remind the public that members of the BIC remain ineligible

Money well spent

December 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

I respectfully submit the following:

1) Bermuda Government expenditures ? approaching infinity.

Information as provided to me:

2) Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross ? salary for year ending March, 2003 was $651,957 plus expenses.

3) Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way ? base salary $375,000 plus numerous expenses and benefits.

4) Todd Bassett, Salvation Army Commissioner for managing a $2 billion dollar organisation ? salary $13,000 per year (plus housing)

No further comment necessary.

Saving Front Street

December 15, 2005

Dear Sir,

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the City Engineer, Mr. David Graham for speaking on behalf of so many of us who truly care for the integrity of Front Street. It is the Bermudian architectural style that defines our own uniqueness. How well he expressed our wishes to defy the trend for impersonal ?modernisation? that seems to be taking over other areas, only to be replaced in 20 years as obsolete.

Our Front Street is remembered with great fondness by millions throughout the world.

Thank you, Mr. Graham.

Decorations are great

December 20, 2005

Dear Sir,

Hearty congratulations to Meyer Agencies and Corporation of Hamilton on the Christmas decorations. Whom ever declared them as lack lustre, to my way of thinking maybe himself or herself lacklustre.

Further my congratulations extends to all others; shops, homes, students, churches, clubs and extended areas and other businesses including hotels on work to make Bermuda well at Christmas.