I know what I signed

September 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

It has taken me a few days to write this letter to you. I have experienced an entire range of emotions this week; anger, outrage, disappointment, and finally sadness.

I refer to the comment you made when presented with the Bermudians for Referendum petition. The press quotes you as saying: ?Folks signed this and didn?t know what they were signing, but that?s democracy.? Now, I know sometimes the press can get it wrong. So, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and checked with a few people who were at that presentation. Apparently, The Royal Gazette and radio had it right. You did say that.

Premier Scott, I am one of the people who signed that petition. With two University degrees and a professional designation, I consider myself an articulate and clear thinking Bermudian.

I knew what I was signing, when I signed that petition. I feel passionately that a referendum is the only fair and clear way for Bermudians to decide on this important issue. I am offended by your comments as they refer to me, and at least 35 percent of this country?s voters.

I am trying to be supportive of your leadership, Premier Scott, but you really aren?t making it easy. Please treat your fellow Bermudians with dignity and respect. That is how I treated you the one time I met you, and that is how I wish you would treat me.

PLP is scared

September 22, 2005

Dear Sir,

I was amazed to hear our Esteemed Premier on the news last night when the Referendum Petition was handed over saying ?Folks signed this and didn?t know what they were signing, but that?s democracy.?

He really doesn?t understand that he just told almost half the people that voted in the last election that he thinks they are stupid! The look on his face was priceless and the body language told all. This man is frightened. The PLP are scared out of their minds of a referendum. They know that they will get a ?no vote? and all this nonsense will be revealed for what it is, an attempt to gain absolute power for a small group of people.

I am amazed by the doublespeak and skirting around the issue used to justify no referendum, even going so far as to put blatant untruths and to omit the UBP?s submission in their so-called ?independent report?.

The worst part is that these are the same people who were just a few years ago crowing on about ?one vote, one person, one vote of equal value?. How do they have the crust to now say a referendum is not the way to go? Utter nonsense whether you support Independence or not, yet people don?t challenge them? We?ll see what happens at the polls though won?t we ... But that?s just my opinion. I may be wrong.

Scott was right

September 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

Premier Scott?s comments that ?folks signed (the referendum petition) and didn?t even know what they were signing,? is not that far-fetched.

More and more, Bermudians are beginning to realise they did the same thing when they ticked the box next to a PLP candidate?s name on their ballots in 1998 and 2003. This Government clearly has no concern for its constituents (or one might say, ?employers?). The PLP?s primary motivation is making themselves and their cronies the ?have mores,? by whatever means necessary.

They are gnawing the hand that feeds them down to the bone.

Get to the bottom of it

September 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

In your paper recently, it was good to see that St George?s would be protected from enemy bombardment by foreign enemies under a new law signed by 114 countries. You note one case already from Yugoslavia where an army commander was convicted for ?destruction or willful damage done to historic monuments and works of art and science?, when the ancient city of Dubrovnik was attacked by him in 1991.

This law will not protect the Old Town from enemy attack at all, but lays the foundations for charging offenders with criminal action should they do so. One hopes it might apply to the Planning Department and local residents, who are doing a fine job of destroying outstanding architectural heritage throughout Bermuda, without any enemy help.

One wonders about other protection, for your paper also reported the digging up of ancient forests and geological deposits in waters near the Old Town. Surely, the fossilised cedar trees are part of Bermuda?s cultural and natural heritage and must have some sort of protection under a preservation law.

Your article says people were conducting a research project, but makes no mention of affiliation with any local research institution such as the Bermuda Biological Research Station. Various ancient bones were removed from the hole in the Queen?s Bottom: what has happened to this portable natural heritage?

Nowadays, you need a licence to mess with the Queen?s Bottom, or seabed, for whatever reason. Was a licence granted to the appropriately named outsider, Mr. Blasco, to dig or blast a ten-foot hole in the Queen?s Bottom? Is she who must be obeyed aware of the invasive action on her bottom by possibly unqualified surgeons?

Expand ferry service

September 20, 2005

Dear Sir,

In case you haven?t noticed, schools are back in! Those of us travelling from the West End are aware of this fact, especially when travelling by car in rush hour traffic.

It?s gotten so bad that it doesn?t have to be raining or for an accident to have occurred for traffic to backed up and moving at a snail?s pace. I think we can all agree that the heavy traffic relates directly to parents taking their children to school as congestion is reduced considerably when children are out of school.

We may have to consider car-pooling or perhaps organising mini bus services for private schools in Hamilton and encourage parents to support them, perhaps offering financial incentives to do so.

One suggestion that?s been mentioned numerous times is encourage as many as possible to utilise the ferries. I have done just that for the past four years and I find it very enjoyable and stress-free. The drawback is that our present schedule isn?t always convenient or reliable and parking is limited (with few exceptions), especially for Warwick and Paget ferries. If ferry services could be increased during peak rush hour, if they were on time and if adequate parking could be made available, I think more people would consider that mode of transportation and thus reduce congestion on our roads. It appears that an area for parking is under construction across from the Belmont ferry, which when completed would reduce congestion and the number of cars parked on Harbour road. It would great to have more parking available at Darrell?s Wharf, which could be ?re-configured? to allow for more parking. The shelter is too large and if that were demolished and replaced with a few Plexiglass narrow shelters (like the ones we have at the bus terminals), more cars could be accommodated. Additionally, there is a garage across the road from the yellow Condos ?The Wharf? on Harbour Road, which is empty and could be used, even for a nominal fee to assist with upkeep.

Perhaps we can increase the number of docks in the West End for ferry service, perhaps Waterlot or Jew?s Bay during peak hours. A minibus service could be established at local post offices and passengers taken to Belmont, Darrell?s or Hodson?s ferries.

We need increased awareness and willingness to think ?outside the box? to resolve this issue. This would decrease the number of accidents due to carelessness and road rage and greatly decrease early morning congestion.