Wholesale destruction

January 1, 2006

Dear Sir,

How incredibly sad to read of the potential demise of Southlands. It comes as no surprise as the property has been butchered over the last year in anticipation of this development. Are we to have nothing left in Bermuda by way of open spaces and undeveloped, natural landscape?

The applications for and issuing of Special Development Orders are most disturbing. It makes a mockery of Section 34 and ultimately means that no area in Bermuda is safe from development. Granting them sets a very dangerous precedent. The public should be much more involved in any application for an SDO. There should be public meetings and open discussions before any is ever granted. If anyone thinks this doesn't concern them, they're dead wrong. If this is allowed to become a common occurrence we will soon be left with a sea of white roofs and a vast expanse of tarmac for our fabulous large cars to park on and that includes the golf course you live next to or the farmers field your property borders.

Once again greed plays a leading role. Why doesn't Jumeira develop the old Club Med site? It's there; it's developed; it needs redeveloping. Why must companies keep taking our open spaces?

We still do not know what the Fairmont Southampton will be allowed to get away with. If that golf course is allowed to be developed in any way you can bet that will be only the beginning.

It is my sincere hope that the Minister of the Environment will hold strong and stop this wholesale destruction of our open spaces.

In despair,

Deeply troubled

January 1, 2006

Dear Sir,

Yesterday I read the paper while awaiting my flight out of Bermuda and was deeply troubled to read that the Southlands property might become a seven-star resort. Government seems to welcome development of this pristine wilderness area, as it all seems contingent on bypassing established zoning guidelines. Supposing Bermuda needs more and better resorts, why destroy pristine land? Why not redevelop an existing property?

Here in Atlanta, an enormous abandoned toxic waste site (Atlanta Steel Mill) was completely transformed into Atlantic Station, a vibrant new city centre with shops, townhomes, lofts, restaurants, theatre and, yes, hotels. That project, a so-called brownfield redevelopment, is an extreme example; converting a resort property into a better resort property would be a relative cakewalk. Southlands has inestimable value for wildlife and Bermuda's biodiversity but even if it had to "pay its way", couldn't it be a National Park and carefully managed for eco-tourism?

When I think of Dubai and the ski slope they've managed to built there, I shudder to think what might be installed in Southlands. It won't be for Bermudians (unless they're staff, naturally) but I'm sure Government officials will be welcome.

Clothing store needed

January 1, 2007

Dear Sir,

With the closure of Ice Queen in Hamilton (which means KFC will be only food place on this street), the question remains what will be there in its place?

Also, speaking of open places, why is Trimingham's/Smith's still open (as in if nobody is running these two stores then, why are they still standing and not being used?) and why is the Bank of Bermuda still the only bunch of people who wish to own it? Can't the place be turned into another clothing store for children?

Or will the parents continually have to either shop at expensive English Sports Shop despite good quality or less expensive Gibbons Co. or the hidden store: Pirate's Port? Makes you wonder what the main purpose for keeping those two stores up now is?

Do something now

January 1, 2006

Dear Sir,

With the number of road deaths increasing (29-year-old man becomes 13th last year after crashing his bike along South Shore Road), you would think that people would slow down more, however, this year it's bound to be a lot more where that came from since like the rest of the world, Bermuda is loaded with bike speeders (most deaths involve a bike even though not all bike riders speed).

The question is: Will the Road Safety Council redeem itself and enforce new solutions to reduce deaths or will they remain as the Road Death Council and continually keep waiting for someone else to die before they do something about it?

CONCERNED

Pembroke

Vendettas and gridlock

December 15, 2006

Dear Sir,

I was going to write a really long letter about this ridiculous race problem we have in the House of Assembly and the apparent need to introduce a Code of Conduct which to me is a great waste of time especially when we are talking about GROWN ADULTS. It's personal vendettas, gridlock, and issues of entitlement that rule the day up there. I was going to mention how actually no one is born a racist and that racism is taught and it's just passed on down the line ? a lesson we still have not learned no matter how educated we get.

But after reading all the papers today, I decided just to delete it all. It's practically useless trying to join this debate. It's just tit for tat now. He said, she said. Child's play, that's all it is. You know what I'd do? I'd introduce my own Code of Conduct. If my granny could, I'd get her to climb those steps during a Friday Debate, oleander stick in her hands, and give every single one of you a crack across the back of the legs to make you straighten up and fly right.

MILTON RAPOSO

Smith's