Go back to school

September 21, 2006

Dear Sir,

Go back to School Fly-Poster! As many of your readers will be, I feel compelled to write in response to the recent fly-posters which have been left around town. I did not receive one of the posters as I ride to the office on a scooter; bought from a Bermudian store. However, I am an expat and as such believe the fly-poster to be an open communication to all expats. In response, this is an open letter to the fly-poster(s) and all those who share his/her opinions.

As previously mentioned, I am an expat. I have been here with my family for approaching ten years and feel privileged to live and work on the island. I run my own company, generating my own income from overseas clients. I employ Bermudians and contribute heartily to the local economy. Dollars which would not have flowed into the island had I not established a company here. I have visiting clients, friends and family, all of whom spend freely whilst on the island in local businesses owned and operated by Bermudians. Again, dollars which would not flow into the local economy had the company been established in another jurisdiction.

I have a wife and young children. You will be pleased to know we are experiencing difficulty in placing the children in schools. It is not possible for our children to be taking your school places as Bermudians have preference on places over expats; and rightly so. You are therefore free to choose, within your means, which schools your children go to. The term ?Bermudian? always puzzles me given the means by which one attains such status. Our children were born here, no different to many other immigrant workers over the past century. It is merely the timing of our children?s birth which makes them non-Bermudian. A fact persistently ignored by many.

We as expats do not freely migrate to Bermuda. There is a rigorous process by which all expats are admitted to the island. The policy which determines the entry of expats into the island is the responsibility of the Government of the day. We (including you) are fortunate to live in a democracy and as such it is the Bermudian electorate that decides which course the country takes, not the ?guest workers?.

It is an all too common human trait to lay the blame for one?s problems at everyone else?s door but one?s own. Your doubtless energy would be better channeled at taking responsibility for your own life whether that be by gaining a better education or seeking a better job. Opportunities abound on this island and it is sad to see so many wasted. As an employer of both Bermudians and expats, I would employ a Bermudian with like for like skills over an expat every day of the week. As would most employers. It would be quicker, more economical and generate greater stability within the company. Unfortunately the pool of home grown talent will never meet the needs of an industry the size of Bermuda?s.

That is no poor reflection on Bermuda. Take any village or small town in the US, the UK or anywhere else in the world and you will not have the talent available to staff an industry. What Bermuda can do is maximise the opportunities available for Bermudians by equipping them with the best tools necessary to make the most of themselves. There are no shortcuts to success. Education and hard work ? with a little luck at times ? are what?s required. So in conclusion to fly-poster; look within yourself before laying blame and open your eyes to the opportunities on your doorstep ? and beyond. Yours faithfully

ANDRE D. BASSETT

Southampton

Attitudes hurt Bermuda

September 21, 2006

Dear Sir,

To whom it may concern, Do all Bermudians hold the same thoughts, kicking expats off this beautiful Island? I cannot speak for all but my husband was asked here by the company he works for in Bermuda. He did not seek them out. It is to my understanding that the position he holds was posted in the local paper for several weeks. There was not one Bermudian that applied.

Now if this were the case for even 50 percent of the jobs posted in the paper..Tell me who do you think is going to do those jobs. If expats are kicked off of the Island and there are no willing and able bodies to fill the positions they have left behind then what. Are there enough Bermudians to fill these positions. I cannot not believe the huge split in this Island.

Back in Canada there are jobs open to the qualified. That would include Bermudians too. I would say at least 50 percent of the time I visit Hamilton I hear things like expats crowd our Island or I can?t get a decent job because of expats ? come on now. Does anyone think that they are going to sit in a teaching position or an accounting position with no past experience or certificate?

It is the same everywhere. Why do you think there is such a shortage of nursing here on the Island. I had a friend leave a job in another country to take on a nursing position. She lasted all of six weeks. Why, you ask? She was treated so poorly by her fellow workers because she was an expat ? how very sad.

Well, in closing to all the Bermudians that dislike the expats, you are hurting yourself and your Island. The bad taste that people have gone home with in regards to the way they were treated here only makes others think so poorly of you and this beautiful Island..

Stand up Bermudians

September 21, 2006

Dear Mr. Editor,

I am continually disgusted by the gall of some people. Particularly those who cowardly stand in the shadows and harass others, simply because they may or may not be from Bermuda.

More of my friends have been harassed by these people ? my Bermudian friends. They are told that they do not look or sound like a Bermudian. Well, praytell, how must a Bermudian look and sound? If these people had any sense, they would realise that Bermuda would not hold the place it holds in the world today if it weren?t for foreign assistance in the form of tourism and international business.

They blame foreign workers for causing all of the ills in Bermuda, but really, it is this kind of Bermudian that is causing Bermuda?s problems. They expect everything to be handed to us on a silver platter, whether we worked for it or not. They aren?t there for our children. They aren?t involved in our children?s schools. They want to have our cake and eat it too, leaving single mothers to raise children without the assistance of their Bermudian fathers. They want jobs that they didn?t bother to educate themselves for. They want payrises that they don?t work hard for.

Thank goodness these aren?t typical Bermudians. Real Bermudians do not threaten their neighbours because they are different. Real Bermudians embrace all peoples of the world and welcome them for the different contributions they make. Real Bermudians work hard, striving to get the best education they can, making the most of what they have. Real Bermudians are friendly and helpful and love and honour the God who created this beautiful Island.

Let us, Real Bermudians stand up against such aghast behaviour. Let us work together to improve our society, to help stop the spread of drugs and gang violence, to encourage faithfulness in our family relationships, to encourage our children to get educated and not be wall sitters. Let us, the REAL Bermuda, STAND UP!

The PLP must listen!

September 21, 2006

Dear Sir,

I have just returned from the first of the BHB meetings, held at the Bermuda College campus, to discuss the proposed new hospital. The hall was filled to capacity, and then some, with the distinguished panel quite obviously outnumbered by the vociferous and often outspoken and diverse group gathered to hear the panel discuss the vision for the new hospital.

Needless to say, the often emotional speakers were quite vocal in their opposition to the building of the hospital on ten acres of the Botanical Gardens. At one point Mrs. Louise Jackson asked all those in attendance to speak up if they were opposed to the plans to build on the Gardens and 100 percent of the audience raised their hands or clapped and cheered loudly! Judging by the looks on the panellists faces, they were not surprised! In today?s , the Premier was quoted as saying he believed that once the information is shared, opponents of the Botanical Gardens scheme would come around to the view that it would be preferable to paying extra to build on the current site.

Well, sir, judging by the rapturous applause against building on the beautiful Botanical Gardens, after the 200+ of us who listened to what the BHB and their panellists of architects and contractors had to say (or didn?t say for that matter), I would hope that the Premier and the Government would finally listen to the Bermudian public and reject this ridiculously bad idea.

What a lot of Bermudians don?t know and what we found out tonight is that the BHB own the entire piece of land from the corner of Point Finger Road and Berry Hill Road, known as Springfield, all the way to the border of the Gardens. The first stage of the new hospital can surely be built on this piece of land (after the original old hospital is razed) and if you include other dilapidated buildings on the 14-17 acres (the exact acreage is unclear) of land that belongs to the BHB, there is no reason on earth to destroy our gardens!

It seems that this really had not been investigated to the fullest and I now implore the BHB and their contractors, to please rethink ruining our largest public gardens and to urge my fellow Bermudians to attend these public meetings and let your voice be heard. I must finally add that the members of the PLP were noticeably absent from tonight?s forum and several members of the Opposition UBP, past and present, were in attendance. Sir, to me this absolutely speaks volumes about how little our opinions as residents of this beautiful island home of ours are valued by the Government of the day!