Hard law to enforce

February 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

As my wife and I are about to vacation on the Island, I like to look into The Royal Gazette to get up to speed on local issues. The story on mobile phone usage while driving (February 27, 2007), caught my eye.

In Connecticut, the Connecticut Legislature passed a ban on driving while holding a mobile phone. It requires the use of an earpiece or hands-free system.

However, compliance is not good. Even this past Sunday, I witnessed a Connecticut State Police officer driving on the interstate highway (three lanes wide, a few more lanes than Bermudian roads), talking on his phone, with it to his ear.

I regret that here and in Bermuda, it is a difficult law to enforce. The Legislature is considering raising the fines for the violation, but my fear is that officers will be even less like to write tickets if the amount is too high.

Good luck to the Island in trying to get people to change their ways.

See you over St. Patrick’s Day Weekend! We are looking forward to our return visit.

MATT MURRAY

Westport, Connecticut

Feeding off destruction

February 28, 2007

Dear Sir,

Did you catch this:

Mr. Guy Crawford, CEO of the Jumeirah Group, on the television news after a tour of Southlands saying, in essence: “I am not a spiritual man, but I was deeply moved today by the spirituality of this very beautiful place.”

Right on, Mr. Crawford! This, too, is my church. Too bad you didn’t stop there.

Instead, you conclude that you are therefore thrilled you’ve been invited to take part in the planned development of that lovely piece of land. Remember the merchants and money changers in the temple? They, perhaps, knew not what they did. You however make it perfectly clear you know exactly what you do: feed off the destruction of holy places. A proper punishment for you, therefore, is a lifetime in some kind of purgatory, like the one planned for the Southlands “site”. Unfortunately, we are all condemned in the process.

TRUE BLUE BERMUDIAN

Somerset

Any answers please?

February 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

With reference to the headline in February 26, 2007 edition of your paper, “Burgess to expats: ‘Don’t get involved in politics”, I have a simple question: What would Dr. E. F. Gordon, an expatriot from Trinidad, have had to say about that?

INFORMED

Hamilton Parish

Road safety concerns

February 17, 2007

Dear Sir,

From the '50's to late '70's I rode three different scooters, one was a Super Tessie, then an NSU and after that a Lambretta. All vehicles were a 150cc and were very nice to ride, but because of the small wheels they were notorious for skidding, especially on damp roads. You just had to touch the foot brake and the back wheel would slip sideways. On several occasions I was not travelling very fast when it happened and was able to keep the scooter upright, but a few times I went down. Reading in the paper about so many riders losing control it occurred to me that this might still be the problem, and with the faster speeds, the cause of so many fatal accidents. Of course, I am not familiar with the newer models, so I am not sure if the small wheels are still the problem.

On a similar note, this morning travelling down Par-La-Ville from the roundabout to Church Street at about 9 o'clock we were stuck in a line of traffic waiting for the lights to change, and all of a sudden we thought Par-La-Ville had become a one-way street because during the time we were waiting, at least twenty or more two wheeled vehicles roared down the road on the off side. Fortunately no traffic was coming in the opposite direction otherwise you might have had another Headline for your paper. If this sort of behaviour is not brought to an abrupt end the abuse on the roads will never end, and this bad driving you see constantly, every day of the week, and all you can do is throw up your arms and say” Where are the police?”

To end up, it would appear that the proposed project at Southlands is a “done deal” regardless of the objections of the Bermuda public, and when you read about the closing of the clinic along with people getting “kicked” off the island one can see where this country is heading, and it is not a good feeling. SEEING IT AS IT IS

Pembroke