A quality professor

August 31, 2005

Dear Sir,

From time to time, there are issues in the community that make me consider putting pen to paper but I never get around to it. However, after reading Mr. Cyril Simmons? letter about his experience in Dr. Sean O?Connell?s class, I felt that I also had to add my voice.

I am aware of the controversy around Dr. O?Connell and I am not in a position to comment on these events as I was not a party to any of it. But what I can comment on is Dr. O?Connell?s teaching ability. As a high achieving, award wining student who was pursuing an Associates Degree with Bermuda College, I elected to take a challenging calculus course. I hadn?t decided on a career but I wanted to keep my options open. The class was taught by a professor holding a Doctorate, I believe in mathematics, and since race seems to matter so much ? this professor was Black. The teaching skills of this professor were so poor that I received my first and only F in my entire education career as did six or seven other members in the class. The only person who passed the class was a genius high school student who was taking the class because the classes in his private high school were not challenging enough. He was smart enough to be able to make what the Professor was trying to teach make sense. This Professor offered extra classes and tutoring which I took advantage of but he just was a bad teacher.

An F was not something I could live with so I retook the class with the only other Professor who taught Calculus, Dr. O?Connell. I did not develop a personal relationship with Dr. O?Connell and maybe once or twice sought extra help outside of class. All I know is that I finished both sections of the class with an A and went on to graduate with Distinction from Bermuda College.

I recently participated in a focus group that was held with past Bermuda College students who had gone on to attend university overseas. One of the things that all participants agreed on was that during the time that they attended Bermuda College, they were fortunate to have quality professors that were just as good and in most cases were better and had superior knowledge than that of the professors they encountered in university overseas.

Over the years, Bermuda College has had great educators, such as Walton Brown Jr., Rawle Frederick, Dr. Jamie Bacon, Angela Barry and others that delivered and still do deliver classes of a standard that would be acceptable in any top class, Ivy League university in the world. It is sad to see that rather than concentrate on delivering a top class post-secondary education to Bermuda?s young people, the administration of Bermuda College is constantly embroiled in one controversy after another that have absolutely nothing to do with the education of our young people.

Thanks for the help

August 31, 2005

Dear Sir,

On behalf of the members of the First Roun?De Rock Motor Boat Rally, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all who participated in some way to make the event the tremendous success it was. As this was the first time an event like this was planned, we had no idea of the response we would get from the boating public.

Our sponsors deserve a big thank you. Their sponsorship enabled us to market the event successfully with more than 110 boats enjoying the 41 mile circumnavigation of Bermuda. It had been our intention to make this event a fun, learning experience especially for many of the boaters who had never been on the South Shore, and we therefore included information broadcast on the marine frequencies on piloting the channels around Bermuda and Lisa Greene of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo provided excellent commentary on the Marine environment and history of Bermuda. We have received many positive comments about her contribution, so thank you Lisa, for a job well done.

We would like to thank the following: Senator Walter Roban, M.P. Jamahl Simmons, Band Master Barrett Dill with the Bermuda Regiment Band, the Mayor of Hamilton and the City Town Crier and Rev. Larry Lowe for participating in the opening ceremony and blessing of the fleet. We?d also like to thank Jeffrey Patterson, of the Bermuda Regiment Boat Company, along with his team for providing safety cover for the fleet during the voyage.

Thanks also to Insp. Mark Bothelho for providing safety cover with his team from the Marine Police. Special thanks as well to Tim Patton for services provided along with Commodore Jane Correia and staff of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club for providing dock space and the venue for the Barbecue after the rally.

I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank the core members of the Organising Committee, Wendy Ballum, Kimmy Mello, Danilee Trott, Stephen Lowe, John Thompson and Sheila Gringley, along with the many volunteers who assisted.

Our expectations were exceeded and we were pleased that the weather provided conditions that gave us enough of a challenge to make the South shore ride exciting but not enough to cause a safety risk. We managed to keep the boats in line until about halfway down the South Shore when the fleet began to split up as confidence began to build. At one point the line of boats stretched for two miles and it was thrilling to look back at the seemingly endless line of boats.

The feedback we have received from both participants and spectators has been incredible. We understand that tourists along the South Shore were fascinated by the sight of the armada of boats making their way just outside the barrier reefs.

More importantly, the event highlighted the work of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, and the Committee hope to make a formal presentation of the proceeds from the registration fees within the next few days. Hopefully this event will become a key feature on Bermuda?s Summer Calendar.