June 29, 2004

Dear Sir,

Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk is a premium quality Grade A milk specially processed and packaged so that it can be transported and stored without refrigeration. It is banned by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries allegedly to protect the local milk industry.

What is not realised however, is that UHT milk is a valuable addition to our restaurant/hotel and naval industry. This is because it holds a six-month shelf life which prevents wasted fresh milk in the food service industry. Furthermore, it is the only way to provide naval vessels, such as the cable ship, with milk, as they are often at sea for months at a time.

UHT milk has been provided on the Island, at a great advantage to hoteliers and restaurateurs, and has recently been banned. Even though slightly understandable due to the laws in place to protect farmers, it is still questionable to restrict the importation and distribution of UHT milk for many reasons. Firstly, as stated above, it would be a great asset mainly to the food service and naval industry and to the general public in allowing them freedom of choice. This freedom of choice could never replace the demand for Dunkley's local fresh milk, but it allows for a competitive market which is present in many other sectors of Bermuda life.

Secondly, Bermuda's “fresh” milk - locally produced - only appears in one selection of milk. All others are made with imported powdered milk and mixed with “Bermuda” water. Furthermore, if powdered milk can be brought in, why not other forms of milk? Thirdly, Dunkley's Dairy is a company which has enjoyed great success in Bermuda for many years, and healthy competition will do them no harm, will not decrease their output, and may actually improve their product. Fresh Bermuda milk will always be sold and will always be restocked at least every three days.

The job of monitoring “milk importation” by Ag and Fish has also been one sided. Although they allegedly do not allow the importation of cow's UHT milk, they seem to allow the importation of UHT goat's milk, which, of course, still falls under the law, but is found in some local supermarkets. In conclusion, let us not restrict Bermuda commercially. Choice and free market should be allowed to our business and private sectors.

The recent Newport to Bermuda Yacht Race provides an adequate example. Sailors participating in the race were searching for UHT milk to supply their boats, and unfortunately could not obtain any due to the recent involvement of Ag and Fish on the matter - their cereal had to go dry after their blue milk went bad.

COMPETITION NEEDED

Sandys Parish

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I do not consider myself a racist as my heritage does not allow, however, after reading your letter led me to believe that you on the other hand definitely have it in you. I do not know how old you are but if you were born maybe back in the 1960s you would have a different perspective on the situation.

You felt that the movie was degrading to white people, well unfortunately, black people have endured more than that through the decades. Just a bit of history the black actors had to paint their faces white - known as “white face” and had to act silly as to please their white audiences. You really need to read more or rent a couple of black history tapes.

I actually went to see the movie myself and the movie was well attended by both black and white patrons and the theatre was filled with laughter at various points of the movie. Also, the movie itself was 90 percent white actors, the only other black actors were the Wayans, the big black guy who was chasing one of the rich white sister, the FBI chief, the black female reporter, the wife and her girlfriend (Shanaenae) who acted really “ghetto” and the younger black guy who acted silly too. I believe that was it, or maybe one or two extras as they are known or you want to count the dogs.

You should be writing to criticise the white actors of the movie for allowing (as you feel) your race to be flaunted in such a manner, do not bash the black actors/producers who were far and few. Obviously it was OK for you to go to see the movie even after watching the preview and probably having seen it several times, I'm sure you had some idea what you were in for. You need to expand your mind and stop looking for something that wasn't there. People like you keep racism alive. By the way, we are not all named Shanaenae or Takisha.

FILM FAN

Devonshire

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

To White Chick: You get upset over a movie you feel is racist. My dear, you don't have a clue about racism. I am sure you have never been denied access to a building because of the colour of your skin, denied the right to vote, or even the right to own property. Blacks have had to endure racism and stereotypes ever since movies where invented.

We are either pimps or prostitutes. Even when we hold a respectable job we are dealing in illegal activity somewhere down the line. So stop moaning about the movie. Please, girlfriend, get over it. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, it is very uncomfortable, is it not? So imagine if you can enduring racism from the time you are born, because your skin is darker. Think about it ‘White Chick'.

BI-RACIAL CHICK

Devonshire

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

This letter is in response to ‘Prude' whose letter appeared on 30th June. I neither care to defend nor detract from anything you wrote in regard to young children dancing about like Britney Spears in local talent shows. What does trouble me is that you explicitly challenge any reader who does not readily agree with you that such activity is the stuff of paedophile fantasy, to surf the web for images of child pornography in order to see that you are right.

Newsflash Prude - downloading pictures of child pornography is illegal! The law does not differentiate between the perverts and the righteous; you are putting yourself and anyone who takes you up on your advice at serious risk of prosecution for accessing a child pornography site. If you recall, Pete Townsend of the band, The Who, got in a lot of trouble for accessing websites despite doing it for what he claimed were research purposes in relation to a book he was writing about child abuse. Stay clear, Prude, or you may be accused of being that which you are decrying.

STEPHEN NOTMAN

Paget

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I fully agree with “Prude” about the way society dresses little girls these days. As the mother of a three-year-old, I am often disgusted with the styles of clothes available in stores. From the low cut tops to the shorts with hardly an inseam to the shirts that seem to be made from napkins. My advise to anyone in my position, learn to sew!

KMR-B

Sandys Parish

June 26, 2004

Dear Sir,

I wonder if I am addicted to Bermuda politics. I often wonder if its really worth the time but so often MPs pronounce these howlers. I remember the UBP, when they wanted to convince us all that they had tried (and failed ) but really did care, they would say “we have agonised”. The idea was that their spiritual and moral agony would make us admire them and forgive their inability to organise themselves or anybody else. Beautiful.

The latest howler is Arthur Hodgson and Alex Scott. Hodgson says the “transparent” PLP, in the bad old days before they had power, had decided to guide Bermuda to Independence without actually telling the voting public what they were doing. They would discourage public expression of feeling on Independence “since the public did not know what was good for them”.

He said that. Unless your paper is lying, he just stood up there and said democracy is actually sort of an amusing exercise in which we participate, to entertain our childlike public. In what other country do politicians say this stuff? Nowhere.

But wait, then Alex, not wanting to lose the prize for bull-goose loony chimes in by saying that under Swan the public did not know what sovereignty was. What? That they responded to the UBP referendum “emotionally, not factually”. But now the goal was educating the public. Implying - if I may - that when people vote to approve Independence they will have a sufficient grasp of the facts, and until they approve, they are ignoramuses. How's that for a theory of knowledge. You couldn't make this stuff up. I imagine they expect to get elected again. And they probably will! More shame on us, dear readers.

I want Alex and Arthur to be sitting down when they read this because what I am about to say will shock them: Just because people don't agree with you doesn't mean those people are wrong. You also can be wrong. People can be aware of their surroundings, tell time, form complete sentences, feed and clothe themselves - all while completely disagreeing with you. Yes, it can happen.

JOHN ZUILL

Pembroke

July 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

I happened to be walking along Reid Street today in front of Trimingham's Store and heard an altercation between to people in cars. A lady at 11.30 a.m. was blocking the road, the language she was using was the usual word that all the younger generation use, being the “f” word, she did not care that there were tourists people with children etc. all within hearing distance of her.

She eventually parked her car on the loading zone, and left, so that when the truck came to unload his goods, he was double parked in the street. Several people were laughing, and saying, well the traffic wardens, never come out in the rain or that the powers that be are losing a good bit of revenue in parking tickets. So please make some changes, in one hour walking in the rain on Reid Street I saw plenty of traffic violations, and to the lady in the loading zone shame on you.

OBSERVER

July 7, 2004

Dear Sir

I am writing in response to your picture and article about the thousand pound blue marlin caught off Bermuda in the World Cup championships. I thought it was sad to see this wonderful fish hanging dead in the wind along side its conquerors. I eat fish and have no issue with fishing as a means of feeding ourselves but surely we can do so without depriving the oceans of such a magnificent specimen as this?

It was obviously quite a feat to catch it but it seems a shame to celebrate the death of such an amazing fish as a sporting trophy. When you think of the life this marlin must have had to have grown to that size it seems a bit odd for humans to be high-fiving each other for having rid the sea of it.

When you think how unequal the struggle must have been between one fish and four men (with the wonders of modern technology) it doesn't make you feel very proud to be a human. I know the guys are planning “partying for a whole week” if they win the $300,000 World Cup, but it would nice to think they could spare a bit of this money for a charity that seeks to protect the marine life that has provided them with their glory. I'm sure the BUEI or the Bio Station could help them to nominate one.

PAGET RESIDENT

June 25, 2004

Dear Sir,

It was very interesting to read in today's Royal Gazette that during discussions, the PLP had once decided to play down the issue of Independence, and to oppose any policy that would give voters an opportunity to express their opinions. They had actually hoped that the party could win power and introduce Independence in spite of the electorate. This in spite of the fact that they knew that most Bermudians were not in favour of Independence. What a frightening piece of information.

The article also mentions that unless Government passes a specific law, which refers to the referendum as binding, there is no specific law which requires Government to follow the results. In direct disagreement, it goes on to say that a referendum is a tool in a democratic society where the Government agrees to follow the people's views. This Government seriously underestimates the intelligence of the Bermuda public. We are fully aware of the pros and cons of Independence, and both sides of the subject must be reviewed thoroughly before decisions can be made.

Independence would give the ruling party the authority to dismiss people like the Auditor General, who come up with disagreeable truths about public spending. It would also give them the power to employ people who are sympathetic to their own party in positions of authority, such as the police, and public prosecutors. This would apply to either party. There would be no control over Government antics, and as for the uncontrolled spending, well, that is bad enough as it is.

There is a chance that our currency would be devalued in the event of Independence, as has been the case in so many other countries that have taken this step. It may not happen, but it is a risk that must be considered. We would run the risk of becoming just another tropical island, and would have to work hard to avoid becoming a third world country, like so many of the islands to the south of us.

E. RABEN

Paget

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

Like many Bermudian homeowners, I find myself at the Pembroke Dump most weekends unloading horticultural waste. On one occasion I was surprised to note the dump was open on a Sunday whilst a crew of workers were emptying and removing plastic bags that had been left by the public at the drop off area. It turned out that the crew was working at double overtime rates to clear out the plastic bags that could not be left in with the tree cuttings for environmental reasons. The drop site had not been cleared out in about six months and it looked to be an all-day job.

I have since looked around and there isn't a single sign in the area that advises the public that leaving plastic bags is not allowed. I admit I wasn't sure myself, as there are always plastic bags of cut trees in the pile. Also there is no one working for the facility who monitors what members of the public are leaving at that site. I would like to make a few suggestions to Ashfield DeVent:

1) Pay a few dollars to erect a sign that makes it clear that any plastic bags or any other synthetic material cannot be left behind;

2) Make a garbage can available for such items to be discarded; and

3) Have a person sit and watch over the public drop off.

This works perfectly well at the Tynes Bay Incinerator (another of my favourite weekend getaways) where the public drop off area is monitored all day, every day, by good people who are quick to help you unload your car and hurl abuse if you dump the wrong item in the wrong bin. I note there is always a person sitting at the gate of the Pembroke Dump - perhaps ask that person, nicely, to face the other direction and my third suggestion would be easily satisfied. Surely this would be much cheaper than paying ten people double overtime to clean up the public's mess every so often.

GREG BROWN

City of Hamilton