Preserve South Shore vistas

March 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

The South Shore can well be called the backbone of Bermuda. As taxi drivers can attest, the “vista” value for tourists is powerful and evocative, and every tourist will drive it. Resident walkers and joggers traverse it day and night. Bank of Bermuda did an ATM study in the 1990’s that showed South Shore, Warwick, to be the busiest place in Bermuda. The study considered passing tourists, commuters, housing density and undeveloped lot density. Now add all the development since- the Housing Corporation and Whale Watch developments and in-filling of undeveloped lots on Ord, Cobb’s Hill and Dunscombe roads and all along the hinterland just to the north.

In the early 1980s, a developer wanted to build an Ivan Lendl tennis resort at Astwood Cove (now Park), the Government then wanted to build housing north of the road. Upon extensive lobbying that showed Warwick — already looking urban — had only been developed to half its allowable density, the Government bought the Astwood Cove property as the “Gateway to the South Shore” and public park. The owner of Astwood Cove, American Tom Watson of IBM fame, sold the property at his original purchase price compounded at the annual savings rate.

How do we mange this conflict between tourist and public amenity? Problem-solving requires insightful consideration of all options to help make the best, final strategic decision. Let’s conceive of the “South Shore” as a stretch of vista and recreational area. Where does this stretch begin? Elbow Beach? Let’s then consider moving the “Gateway to the South Shore” east from Astwood Cove to Elbow Beach. Bermudiana Beach Club (defunct), Banana Beach (defunct) and Southland properties could then become a contiguous public park for tourists and locals (remembering the urban hinterland massing just to the north).

Note also that Surf Side Cottages was not allowed to build a breakwater to improve this sketchy stretch of beach because of the unknown knock-on effect on Elbow Beach to the east and Warwick Long Bay to the west. Should not we conceive of, define and manage the entire length of the ‘South Shore” as a whole, as a valuable, premium asset, the spine of Bermuda? Sincerely,

MALCOLM KIRKLAND

Warwick

A note of thanks

March 21, 2007

Dear Sir,

Once again the officers and members of The Orchid Charity Club takes this opportunity to express our appreciation to the many merchants who made donations to our annual Christmas project. This project enables us to make contributions to the residents in the senior homes and others in need throughout the island, for which they are very grateful and overjoyed.

At this time we also give thanks to all our faithful taggers, who donated their personal time on our annual tag days — January 19th and 20th, 2007.

Thanks to the merchants throughout the island who gave us permission to place our taggers in front of their establishments. We had a very successful two days — we realised over $19,000. We are so grateful to the generous public. This would not have been possible without all working together.

Also to all the merchants who supplied us with food donations for our annual St. Patrick’s Day Tea — Sunday March 18, 2007. We say thank you, our Tea was once again a resounding success.

During the Tea our guest speaker, The Rev. Lloyd Duncan of the Greater Smith Hill Church of God reminded us to ever be mindful of our blessings.

Thanks to our good friends, the North Village Band who are there for us every year.

Thanks to Mrs. June Caisey and family for the beautiful renditions. She was accompanied by Mr. Tony Brannon with his own outstanding style.

Thanks to our waiters — sisters Beverley and Barbara Knights, Mr. Michael Trott, Dion Rawlins and his son Shadoe who is 16 and has attended every Tea since he was four-years-old.

To our brothers The Leopards, our own sister Orchids, our faithful helpers and let us not forget our loyal patrons for without your dedication our Tea would not be a reality. May God continue to bless each and every one of you.

LOIS L. WEEKS

Corresponding Secretary

Orchid Charity Club

AME, how dare you?

March 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

I unfortunately caught the tail-end of a news report on the radio this morning, so please accept my apologies in advance if I didn’t get the story correct. Apparently there was some mention on how the AME church wishes to express their concern towards the “All Aboard” Rosie O’Donnell gay family cruise, which intends to stop in Bermuda this cruise ship season.

Firstly, I was raised with Christian values in a Christian family and although I may not attend church on a regular basis now days, the one thing that was always taught first and foremost, was that God loves everybody, so yes, that includes homosexual people. Do you not understand that judging homosexual people is looked upon as bigotry and discrimination, which by the way is against the law? How dare you in this day in age treat homosexual people in such an old school fashion? There are some of you who seem to think that homosexuals have an agenda of some sort, well maybe if they were allowed to live their lives as we do as heterosexuals, they wouldn’t have an agenda. With so much talk recently within our own political community about racism how can we do this to our own tourists who wish to visit our beautiful island and put money in our pockets! Who cares who they share a bed with at the end of the day; I know our tourism industry shouldn’t suffer because of that!

To those of you of the AME church, you need to sit down and watch the HBO documentary “All Aboard” if you haven’t already. Watch in particular the way that the passengers on Rosie O’Donnell cruise were treated and protested by two churches in the Bahamas upon their arrival; they were treated unfairly and unjust, all they wanted to do was to enjoy their vacation with their family; is that the sort of publicity that you wish to have for our island, not only that, think of how you are treated when you and your family go on vacation!

I’m sure I will get some stick for this letter, which is fine with me; I know what discrimination is first hand, as I have a mixed race child, who has also been confronted with the same; although it is not the same thing as what the cruise ship passengers are and/or will be faced with, regardless, discrimination is discrimination no matter who it is reflected upon, age, race, weight, religion, ethnicity etc. So in conclusion, what I have to say is, get over it and put your energy into something worth fighting for, such as the homelessness issues which are increasing getting worse!

STRAIGHT & CHRISTIAN

Hamilton Parish

Will the fry get gobbled up?

March 13, 2007

Dear Sir,

Over the past months in the local media there have been stories on different hotel developments. Some were: Ariel Sands owners with a Hilton Club Group having intentions of building a Five Star Resort on the present Ariel Sands property; the Southlands area having a Seven Star Hotel constructed on it with Dubai interest, the Par-la-Ville business hotel and the former Sonesta property having a new hotel built on it. I am glad Bermuda government and private business has encouraged big business to set up here, not only in International Business. Will there be any losses of present tourist accommodations though? Will the small fish be gobbled up?

I have always wanted to see St. George have another hotel in the old Holiday Inn spot, but it seems big business does not feel that way. Are there not enough perks being offered to anyone to set up in Ye Olde Town, so they choose the Gold Coast? A hotel adjacent to a golf course was once a great selling feature. But not here, it seems. Is one reason because the potential hotels wanted sole use of the present golf course for their guests? Did they want to have casinos there? Is setup of property before construction too high? About 20 years of emptiness this year is far too many. Can Bermuda have something that is not common in the East Coast & Caribbean areas, and failing that local housing for golfing style people there?

The Southlands Project will most likely happen, (local Big Business wants a return on buying the property) via a seven star format, or in a slightly compromised format, (leave present South Shore Road alone). The other two properties at Ariel Sands, & old Sonesta will most likely happen too, and again at the least in a slightly compromised format. I say ‘slightly compromised format at the least’ because the dwellings we see passing Ariel Sands and Flatts Village were passed by Planning, do not fit into the Bermuda landscape and are both ugly. Westgate looks better than each. A few questions are:

[bul] Will these new big business five & seven star hotels also benefit with tax exemption status, even though not developing in St. George?

[bul] Will the less elite hotel properties here get the least proportionate amount of advertising dollars?

[bul] Will the present hotels with the Tourism Department continue to encourage the average income visitors here, such as couples, or families outside of those coming with convention business?

[bul] Will Bermuda lose having sport tourism for the average income people, i.e. participants in football, running, hockey, squash, tennis, golf, etc. because of a lack of low to moderate priced rooms?

[bul] Will the owners of these high profile hotels and Bermuda’s Planning Department consider Bermuda’s architectural style before starting construction? Most of the tall office buildings fit well into the Hamilton landscape, thus a hotel standing on its own must be special. Fairmont Southampton fits well.

These new hotels will cater to the rich & famous persons from all over the world, not only North America. Recently I was listening to the radio, and it was announced that almost 1,000 people in the world are billionaires, so imagine how many millionaires there are in this world, (USA have over one million millionaires) and don’t forget the worldwide billionaire companies who already come here. Hopefully these new hotels provide on site employee housing, local advancement, and minimal employee car use as a few other points to help Bermuda. I’d be surprised if one third of their employees will be local if the hotels were finished in the next five years, and more than happy if each had conserving forms of energy power, like solar and or wind power for generating at least 50 percent of their electricity. That’s if the objectors don’t mind the difference in looks to the landscape.

ROGER LAMBERT

Sandys

Rethink Southlands

March 22, 2007

This was sent to the Permanent Secretary for Environment and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

Please put this protest on record.

1. I am concerned that the coast line on the South Shore is actually quite fragile, under threat annually from heavy seas and hurricane winds. Additionally, the unspoiled views of ocean and coastline are the reasons that most of our tourists come to the island.

2. This hotel development will desecrate the coastline, the plans indicate that the building will be ugly, the reconstruction of the South Road, including the planned tunnels, will cause tremendous traffic disruption and additional congestion on the already overloaded roads from the West End.

3. Most Bermudians have honoured the “private” nature of the property and not encroached with cars or bikes, but it has been stated that the Southlands property is in fact a sanctuary for wildlife that has been driven out of many other habitats due to the construction of homes.

4. I do not believe that there will be more than a handful of Bermudians gainfully employed in the finished hotel.

5. The majority of Bermudians stand to gain nothing from this development.

6. The building is ugly and will be a tall eyesore on our presently lovely island.

7. There will be huge numbers of staff needed, most of whom will inevitably be from overseas, needing housing and transportation, adding inevitably to housing and transport problems

8. In light of the increasing animosity to anyone who is not a black Bermudian how will the hotel keep its specialist staff? Who will want to stay in such an atmosphere?

9. We have extinct hotel properties crying out for redevelopment, let us not bulldoze even more of our precious island scenery to feed Big Money before we insist that they utilise and redevelop the existing sites. (Club Med, Golden Hind, Banana Beach, or even Morgan’s Point)

10. Who will build this eyesore? Bermudian construction workers are in short supply for all the projects currently underway, so we have hundreds of overseas construction specialists here now. This project will almost certainly entail bringing in yet more. Where will these guys be housed and fed?

What has happened to the much publicised Sustained Development Plan?

If our Government wanted to prove their integrity they would purchase this land and make it a Nature Reserve forever, rather than hold out their hands for “big money” , with all the attendant employment taxes, import taxes, head tax, etc etc which will pour into coffers and possibly pockets as a result of this ugly development.

Why are we selling off chunks of our island to Big Money? This little rock is all we have for our future generations to inherit how much will be left for our grandchildren to raise there families on?

Tourists came here 30 years ago because the Bermudians were charming, friendly, helpful and welcoming. Small hotels and guest houses have always been more steadily filled than the big glitzy places, so why are we doing this?

Please re-think this eyesore, make them choose an existing “brown site” and build something which will fit better into our beautiful island.

MARGARET DYER FORSTER

Pembroke

Do not be misled

March 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

I see the Hon. Premier has begun his election campaign already — forget about canvassing in Constituency 26, perhaps those voters may still remember the statement Premier Brown made after the last election when Dame Jennifer Smith was ousted. Perhaps they remember how the taxi drivers were forced to abide by a new law that was introduced.

I guess it makes more sense, to seek the vote of the undergraduate students in London, Washington DC; Atlanta, Georgia; Huntsville, Alabama; Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Canada. Make a few promises and secure their vote at the next election— they’re not that gullible are they? I guess it’s easier to manipulate inexperienced, liberal minded individuals rather than the more experienced, conservative type.

What I’m trying understand is that there are Bermudians already here who are under the age of 40 and over, who have undergraduate and post graduate degrees plus work experience, who are disgusted with the lack of career opportunities in Bermuda. In fact, most recently, one 32-year-old black Bermudian male resigned from his position at the hospitals and left Bermuda with his family— so where are the career opportunities? Who knows? Maybe the university students are female or family members of the Government leaders. Regardless of who they are, I sure hope that they are being told the truth.

AN HONEST OBSERVER

Devonshire