May 31, 2005

Dear Sir,

This is for the woman who was driving a car on Tuesday, May 31, at 1.13 p.m.

Shame on you! You walked quickly and very briskly out of the Hamilton Post Office at the time mentioned, and scurried to your car which was parked in the space clearly marked for handicapped people who hold a permit from the Corporation of Hamilton. Remember me? I was the old woman in the small white car honking at you and holding up my handicapped badge for you to see. You showed no guilt at all. In fact you looked at me as if you didn't care.

The next time I find a vehicle in a handicapped parking space ? and this happens frequently ? I'm going to park in such a way that the offending vehicle cannot move. So, drivers please remember that people with handicapped badges are allowed to park twice as long as other drivers, as long as their handicapped badge is displayed. Which means you will be hemmed in for a long time, even if I have to double park to do it. And why not? I never see a traffic warden in Hamilton.

June 8, 2005

Dear Sir,

Regarding "Tears and cheers mark housing lottery" article published in The Royal Gazette on June 6, when 98 people won the right to buy cut-price homes in the Bermuda Homes for People lottery, when I read that "Friday night was nothing but success", I have to smile because, when this Government is giving away millions of dollars of prime real estate "at cut-price" rate, they have "bought" success. Bought ? that is ? with public money!

Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for those families who were the lucky winners of the lottery and very, very sad for those families who were unsuccessful. A few thoughts come to mind.

a) Waterfront condominiums are very nice but wouldn't it be more equitable to provide decent, reasonable housing for three families for the cost of each one at Harbourside Village? Who owns the land, anyway? Since it reverted to Bermuda from the former US Base lands, doesn't it belong to the people of Bermuda?

b) Remind me again of the legal restrictions on those "lucky" families who may purchase a $673,000 unit for $198,000? I understand that the units were to revert to the project should they not be required by the original purchasers. Is that still correct? Will it still be correct in a few years' time? (Things have a habit of being smoothed over!)

c) When will this Government give more serious attention to providing reasonable homes for the many needy families? It is such a pity that so many are single-parent families and it is this fact that also needs serious attention. I sorrow for the children growing up in such difficult circumstances, as social problems tend to repeat with succeeding generations. Some children are sleeping in cars whilst others will luxuriate in waterfront condos ? complete with docking for boats ? compliments of our Government.

d) Just a reminder that this project was originally a private commercial venture. Any losses incurred by the promoters, Cliff Schorer et al, are the misfortune of being an entrepreneur. Would I expect Government to bail me out if my business went belly-up? There would be no bailout by the government for the promoters! True, providing homes for Bermudians is an honourable business, but not an excuse for such a lop-sided venture as Harbourside Village. Other entrepreneurs have proposed building systems that would reduce costs but they have been turned down in order to uphold the building code of Bermuda. However, that seems to have been put aside for Harbourside Village.

e) Government needs to assess the land available (and suitable) for the housing developments that would meet the needs of the large number of people looking for homes ? and then get on with it! We shy away from multiple unit buildings for "fear of creating ghettos" but the answer to that may be in the management of the buildings.

f) What about the rest of us who have worked for years, struggled without mortgage and educated our children? Some will feel that they should have given up and waited to win the football pools, beat the odds at Las Vegas ? or ? win the housing lottery.

g) Whilst I rejoice with the lucky folk who will be my new neighbours, I can't help but think this system of providing housing for us Bermudians is a not-so-subtle way for this government to gain favour even with only a few. The rest of us will have to provide for our families "the old-fashioned way".

UN-COMMON SENSE

St. David's

June 2, 2005

Dear Sir,

Give thanks for your decision to print the pictures of the victims of this year's road fatalities. Remembrance is a good thing.

Your editorial, though timely, fell short in one regard. While it admonishes the public to "slow down", it does not take into consideration the fact that an accident can or is just as likely to occur at either pace. The Creator did not make us all the same. Some people are remarkably adept at moving at high speeds, while others are equally comfortable at low speeds. And, with the approaching summer, there is inherent even in stalled traffic for an accident to occur. For example, heat exhaustion, combustion related incidents or falling asleep or dead at the wheel are all possible, on or off the roads. Moreover, when the father beckons you to move, you had better move and with great haste.

From where I sit at the entrance to Horseshoe Bay Beach, each day I witness near accidents on that stretch of road and the adjoining auxiliary roads due in part to the volume of traffic. The offenders include a wide cross-section of the public: resident and visitor; black and white; young and old alike. Sometimes it becomes a bit stressful just to watch. Most days, when I don't forget, I begin with a prayer that I not witness an accident, or in the worse case scenario, a death at that spot. Still, I cringe every time a near crash happens. But I am comforted with the knowledge that I have asked it of the Father, and He is faithful and just to answer.

In the same way, the only assurance that any of us have of deliverance is if we ask the Father of Creation to be with us on our journey. By acknowledging Him first, and asking for His guidance and protection for ourselves, our family and friends, before we leave our homes (and ideally from the moment we awaken) can we be confident of safe passage.

There have been an unusually high number of deaths here lately ? a young child, a teenager, young adults, visitors, foreign workers, and now even an animal. Although I didn't know any of the victims personally, any death, especially one that occurs in my home Bermuda, diminishes me. So, it hurts.

But people be mindful, that with hurt comes healing, for some speedily, for others slowly. But assuredly it comes.

Yes, we can all slow down a little in Bermuda. A good walk might do us some good as well. It may help us to appreciate the fact that we, sons and daughters of the soil and stranger alike, live on such a beautiful island, one that is blessed beyond measure. And, while you are on your walk, take a moment to thank God Almighty, in his infinite wisdom, for blessing us with the time that we did have to spend with those precious souls, however shortened.

TRULY, GOD IS GOOD

Southampton

June 8, 2005

Dear Sir,

For a number of years I have been trying to analyse the arrogance of a number of Bermudians.

I have come to the conclusion that there is some sort of defensive mechanism in place that causes them to believe that they are experts at everything. Just as soon as they have obtained minimal experience at something they are instantly experts and extremely critical of anyone who come along later, including outside expertise. As soon as they have driven a truck they are experts, as soon as they have been on a building site they are experts, as soon as they have driven a boat they are experts, as soon as they have ridden a bike they are experts and so the list goes on and on.

For those of us who are somewhat more worldly in our thinking process this aura of false expertise is quite laughable. Over the years Bermudians have been very clever at hanging off the coattails of outside expertise and running with those ideas to their benefit and I say to these people ? right on.

Unfortunately for some of us, after five minutes in the job, they are all experts and we have the misfortune of having to listen to them. So I say to all you Bermudian experts out there, you will never learn everything in five minutes. It takes a lifetime to learn skills and there will always be new ideas that come from outside Bermuda. If you still think you are an expert please keep it to yourself and don't bore those of us who have a few more life experiences that you could ever imagine.

ALWAYS LEARNING

City of Hamilton