BHC: A pathetic saga

November 1, 2007

Dear Sir,

I refer to the article "Commissioner Jackson: US Secret Service examining seized documents" in your paper today.

If there ever was any doubt what a complete fiasco and farce this whole "BHC Stolen Documents" investigation was, it's now been completely removed. God knows what those Privy Council judges must have been thinking while they listened to this incredibly pathetic saga.

This is what we now know:

• No one has any idea how many Police Officers (and therefore who) had access to the "top secret" files;

• Some files were stored at A.F. Smith (say what?) and other files that were meant to be stored there are missing, (but for what it's worth copies of said missing files have been retrieved);

• Top secret files turned up in a pump room in Cavendish (man, these things can turn up anywhere!);

• Mr. Dennis, who in his capacity as the Auditor General exposed the original wholesale thievery at BHC, was arrested and is still out on bail because he had files (about 1,600 of them) relating to the BHC investigation.

• And to top it off (as if this wasn't enough) we now know we are wasting even more money sending files to the U.S. Secret Service for "analysis"!

My God ¿ could we possibly look like any worse? I can't imagine how.

HUNGRY BAY

Paget

Bermuda was a war zone

October 30, 2007

Dear Sir,

I just finished reading the attempt by the Executive of the Bermuda War Veterans Association to justify their decision to grant pensions only to those War Veterans who chose to serve oversees during the Second World War.

However, there was no such requirement for British Veterans. They received pension benefits simply for having served in the armed forces during the Second World War. As a result, the British who were stationed in Bermuda during the War, received Pensions while the Bermudian soldiers who served in their own country did not.

I suppose the underlying intention of the BWVA executive was to make certain that everyone who actually served under conditions of war, were taken care of properly.

This means that they did not consider Bermuda was in a condition of war.

Nothing could be further from the truth. While there were no bombs dropped on Bermuda or known attempts at invasion, we were certainly on a War footing.

The United States Base at Kindley Field serviced air craft of the Strategic Air Command ¿ the most vital element of the US attack strategy. Bermuda also served as an important observation post for the detection of German Submarines operating in the Atlantic and threatening shipping between America and Europe.

In addition, Bermuda hosted the centre of the British Spy system that monitored transmissions between German War Ships and successfully broke their codes. As a result, several cargo ships successfully navigated the passage to England and Northern Europe that might have been destroyed but for the highly develop spy network developed in Bermuda and located in the Hamilton Princess. Further, this spy activity gave rise to an exciting spy book "A Man Called Intrepid". The hero of that novel, Mr. William Stephenson, actually retired to Bermuda at the end of the War and lived in Tucker's Town until his death. Hence, Bermuda was definitely very active in the war zone and continuously under threat of attack.

In any event, whether Bermuda was in a war zone or not, the mere fact that the United Kingdom had defined a veteran as anyone who had served in the armed forces during the war should have been enough justification for Bermuda to use the same definition of a veteran.

I am personally surprised that the management of the War Veterans Association did not adopt the definition used by the United Kingdom since they slavishly follow England in matters relating to Bermuda's Independence.

Ms Carol Everson is to be congratulated for taking up the cause of the Veterans.

CALVIN SMITH

Pembroke

BWVA did right thing

October 30, 2007

Dear Sir,

The Royal British Legion have refused to allow the Bermuda War Veterans Association the right to sell any form of poppy for their annual appeal on the grounds that it is "copyright protected" unless it is purchased through their agent Ms Everson.

In the 80 years the Royal British Legion has been in existence, they have never contributed one penny to the support of the Bermuda War Veterans, either from the First World War or the Second World War.

They have taken the money for the cost of the poppies over all those years and have never challenged the BWVA as to how they distributed the funds. They trusted us to do the right thing, and we have.

Over the same period of time the BWVA, with the help of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of voluntary hours, have assisted war veterans not just from the Second World War but from the First World War also - regardless of whether they served with the Bermuda Militia Artillery, the Bermuda Militia Infantry, the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps or the Bermuda Volunteer Engineers.

It is my hope that the Bermuda public will continue to support the BWVA who, over the last 84 years have assisted all of our overseas veterans.

WAR VETERAN

Paget

Cruising to oblivion

October 23, 2007

Dear Sir,

With the weekly loss of several thousand pedestrian shoppers who were coming off these two ships, there will be a noticeable sales decrease in many of Hamilton's retail shops.

As sales decrease, staffing requirements will be adjusted and since only Bermudians can be employed in the sales category, Bermudian jobs will be lost. In addition, we have probably seen the last of Harbour Nights where tomorrow's entrepreneurs had a chance to show off their crafts.

There does not seem to be a tangible reason for Government to have made this decision. There was the suggestion that cruise ship lines are only making "Mega" ships that have to come into Dockyard.

This does not seem to be the case, as I note below: In the October 23 Travel Section of the New York Post there is a colour feature of Bermuda being serviced by newly renovated smaller cruise ships that have the advantage "of slipping into small ports that the big ships are too bloated to fit into".

With these smaller ships Celebrity Cruise Lines "will attempt personalised luxury" for a more sophisticated person who "does not want the 'cattle car atmosphere' of the big ships".

Is this not exactly what Hamilton needs and wants?

Another suggestion for banning the weekly cruise ship visits was that the new harbourfront development was going to begin. Believe it or not this project is six to eight years away, if it ever gets started at all.

So if you look at the end result of Bermudian jobs lost, it seems that Government should join hands with the Corporation of Hamilton and do everything possible to reverse this decision.

K. FINSNESS

City of Hamilton

GPS service is better

October 31, 2007

Dear Sir,

I refer to your article in The Royal Gazette on Thursday, October 25, 2007 regarding taxi fares.

Mr. Lee Tucker complained about the fares being an insult, and that the radio system provides a better service than GPS. I am tired of hearing the negativity of Mr. Lee Tucker with regard to the taxi industry.

I have had a taxi licence for 25 years and I own two taxis, which are operational and equipped with the GPS system.

When taxi owners were being forced into GPS, I was totally against the Transport Minister, because I felt it wasn't right, but look at what came out of that. BTA, a company owned by taxi drivers. Obviously we are now moving in a positive direction.

How can Mr. Lee Tucker say that radio dispatch is better? I remember the days of "stuck buttons", both accidental and deliberate. What about down in Sonesta Hotel's yard, or Harrington Sound? The signal was weak in those areas and you couldn't transmit. Yeah, I guess radio is better!

Come on Mr. Tucker, do you still go outside to the outhouse or do you have an indoor bathroom? It's time to step into the future. If you stay stuck in the past, you will never reach, have visions or see your future.

Please, Mr. Editor, if there is an issue on taxi matters, do not refer to Mr. Lee Tucker. Interview someone who can see a future in the taxi industry.

Further, it is difficult to go back to the radio dispatch system ... GPS is the way to go.

TAXI OWNER, TIMES 2

Devonshire

A waste of money

October 23, 2007

Dear Sir,

My husband and I have received a letter from the Chief Statistician informing us that we have been selected to participate in a survey targeting seniors. We do not wish to participate.

In 2004 we were happy to provide our answers to the questions asked by representatives of Fordham University. That research project was undertaken with great courtesy, excellent consideration for elderly people and in a very professional manner. Also it was done at no cost to the taxpayer and we understand that it was very successful.

For the office of the Chief Statistician to undertake another survey targeting seniors seems to us to be a complete waste of taxpayers money.

Surely what we need is action rather than more research and more reports?

REGINALD A.R. SMITH

MOLLY D. SMITH

Pembroke