August 30, 2002

Dear Sir,

Here we go again, arrogance personified. How can a Minister of Government refuse to meet with a businessman over a matter of such importance to the TV viewing people of Bermuda, especially as he flew in to this Island for the specific purpose of negotiating a mutually satisfactory position in regard to the licence for CableVision?

This Minister should remember that she is expected to represent not only the interests of the people, but also the interest of reason and fair play. An $8 million dollar investment on a one year licence period cannot be considered reasonable or fair to the investors, the majority of whom are Bermudian.

Her behaviour is just not Bermudian in character. We have always been proud of our reputation here and overseas for being a reasonable and fair people. This arrogant attitude simply cannot be accepted.

ROBERT C LAW

City of Hamilton

August 27, 2002

Dear Sir,

I refer to a letter dated 19th August 2002 from ‘Free the Weed' of Hamilton Parish and his request that a debate be opened regarding the decriminalisation of cannabis.

Free the Weed has quoted several authoritative persons to give credence to legalising cannabis, which definitely gives us food for thought. However like any person who wishes to have cannabis available on the open market, Free the Weed has failed to address the social issues that would surround a decision by lawmakers to make the dream of “pot-heads” become reality.

Free the Weed quotes the British Conservative MP Peter Lilley who stated: “No one could really argue coherently that cannabis was different from alcohol or tobacco, which are legal.”

This may be the case, but I'm afraid that Mr. Lilly and Free the Weed have missed the point. Alcohol and cigarettes are both drugs and are both highly addictive, with the former causing more social problems than I care to list, whereas the latter, though not necessarily a drug that causes overt social problems, certainly causes innumerable health problems that eventually drains society and fills hospital beds unnecessarily.

However rather than go down the road of listing the pros and cons of cannabis I wish to bring Free the Weed's attention to a recent experiment carried out in the Borough of Brixton in London. The experiment saw police closing their eyes to the possession of small amounts of cannabis, which in turn saw users smoking the drug openly in the street. This caused great consternation to locals who saw their neighbourhood being overrun by out-of-towners and drug dealers (who began openly selling other illegal drugs). This experiment has since been stopped because of the social implications that arose.

Nonetheless this has encouraged more and more Londoners to smoke cannabis openly wherever they desire. Every day for the past week this writer has seen people smoking cannabis in public, including on public transport. Rest assured this is not a pleasant sight, nor does it make one feel safe. Free the Weed may say that the law could be changed to only allow smoking cannabis legal within the confines of your own home. This would be unsatisfactory - it is much like a crack in a dam - once it is opened the flooding begins. It may sound like scare mongering, but imagine walking down Front Street and seeing people getting high - it would leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. Furthermore, imagine what high-rolling, big-spending, typically conservative tourists would think seeing Bermudians walking the streets with a joint in hand!

Let us be sensible and concentrate on the main issues facing Bermuda like education which affect us all, rather than waste time worrying about 3,400 cannabis users (about five percent of the population) who wish to get high. Free the Weed requests a debate - this writer says “Request Denied”.

A BERMUDIAN OVERSEAS

London, UK

August 26, 2002

Dear Sir,

In response to David Wingate's brilliant and articulate piece on noise pollution: Why should a retired conservation officer bring to the public attention the vitally important aspect within our community that should be the duty of the current Minister for Transport to address?

OLD BERMUDIAN

City of Hamilton

August 27, 2002

Dear Sir,

America is upset with Bermuda because US companies with overseas operations re-domicile here to avoid taxes on the international portion of their income, even though it's entirely legal that they do so. Today's Gazette put the “loss” to the US as “in the billions.”

These companies provide little economic benefit or employment to Bermuda.

Bermuda is upset with America because they shortchanged us on the base clean up and related costs.

It would seem to make sense for Bermuda to refuse further companies seeking to re-domicile here in return for a commitment from the US to clean up the baselands. America would gain far more in tax revenues than it would spend cleaning up the bases.

Bermuda would lose little in revenues and would regain the sanctity of its lands.

Sounds like a win-win. Let's make a deal.

PAGET EXPAT

August 29, 2002

Dear Sir,

In response to the letter from K.M. Harriot of “Warwick” about my first letter, Brain the first defence.

If I gave anyone the impression that I believe that woman who are the victims of violence are responsible for their own abuse then I am sorry.

Contrary to that, I am on the woman's side. It hurts me to see woman suffer by the hands of an abusive man. No man has the right to abuse a woman under any circumstance.

What I am simply saying is that, if your driving down the road and you see a truck on your side of the road what do you do? If he hits you, yes you are in the right and dead, and he will be in the wrong and alive. Use the brain.

ERNEST M.DECOUTO

City of Hamilton

Thanks from the heart

September 3, 2002

Dear Sir,

The hardest thing in life is to be free, to overcome the mental, physical, spiritual and social expectancy of those who mean everything to you and those who don't. This life doesn't offer many second chances for us to find ourselves. Often our discovery of self is made too late or not at all.

Editor, I would like to take the time and space to express my gratitude, firstly to the Bermuda Arts Council and the Government Scholarship and Awards Committee for financial support. Secondly, to the audience that supported my one woman performance as well as the words of encouragement from others who weren't there but wanted to be. Thirdly, to the artistic and loving individuals (they know who they are) that persistently sprinkle the Island with their creativity and spirit. These are the components that reinforce my love to express myself dramatically through spoken word.

I believe that my journey of self-discovery encourages others to embark on a similar passage. I am but a mirror of my surroundings and if I choose to surround myself with ardor and inspiration then this is what I will reflect. If we all made a conscious choice to explore and cultivate our sense of self, true freedom would not be so hard to attain.

LLEWELLA J. REWAN

City of Hamilton