This ain't my daddy's UBP

October 31, 2007

Dear Sir,

I was out visiting a friend last night. Now this friend doesn't look like me and he doesn't live in a place where a lot of pale faces frequent but we've known each other for maybe 45 years, so I feel pretty good going where he is. The thing is that last night his whole family was there and they all know me ... so, I thought I'd share some of our conversation.

(Remember, I'm pretty much a big time supporter of the UBP and they pretty much tell me they used to like the other guys ...).

They all know that I do my thing in the Party ¿ so the conversation got onto politics pretty quickly:

They said: How come you can't see the good things the PLP have done?

I said: I can... there's so few, that part's easy! How come you can't see what the PLP haven't done?

They said: Whattyoumean?

I said: Well, the public education system is fully broken. They can't even figure out how many people graduated last year, this year, any year. Crime is rampant. The police couldn't solve a murder if their lives depended on it. Owning your own home is impossible. Seniors are treated like dirt (although the PLP does offer tea before elections).

Roads in Bermuda are full of potholes, unevenly filled in trenches and half the time, you can't see because of the overgrown hedges. Corruption, dishonesty and incompetence are the norm. These people spend money like water they don't have... I could go on.

Listen, they have no plan for doing anything ... whenever they think about something, they might do part of it but they never have any follow-up and they rarely do it properly and honestly because they have no idea how to plan. What you think might happen if you tried to build a house without any plans?

They said: What about Jet Blue?

I said: OK. I'll give that one to you. But are you going to elect a Government based on Jet Blue?

They said: But we can't vote against the brothers?

I said: Brothers? (this guy is a small contractor) Dennis Correia is a brother? Zane is a brother? All those overseas consultants are brothers? They have overseas consultants studying our hospitals, our schools and our Young Black Males... maybe they should send some overseas consultant in to study "How Not to Run a Country"? The only brothers that benefit from the PLP are brothers who happen to do what the doctor orders. You gettin' rich?

They said: But the UBP is a white Party?

I said: Yup, that's what the PLP tell you because that works well if they divide us racially. No question that almost all the white people support the UBP because of what we stand for. We aren't a white party now and we never have been. We could not run the country for 35 years without a lot of black support. Have you seen our list of candidates?

They said: Some... yeah, where all the white people?

I said: 24 of our candidates are black, 12 are white... that's called 'Equity in Politics'.

They said: But the Front Street boys still run the UBP.

I said: You taken a look at Front Street lately? Blacks are all over Front Street and the white guys who are still there are so in debt they don't have time for politics. More accurate to say that Front Street controls the PLP!

They said: Well, maybe you make some sense... so you saying the UBP has really changed?

I said: Shawn Crockwell, Alvin Wilson, Gina Spence, Albertha Waite, Donte Hunte, Wayne Scott... let's just say that smart people learn by their mistakes and the UBP is far more diverse and inclusive then it ever was.

This ain't my daddy's UBP ... it's mine and theirs and it's better.

They said: Amen! You got our vote...

I said: Goodnight...

MR. CLEMENS

Southampton

End this discrimination

October 28, 2007

Dear Sir,

After looking at the Bermuda Careers Centre site this past year for scholarships available to local students, I noted that most scholarships were only available to Bermudians. Only a few of the businesses offered their scholarships to Bermudians or children of Permanent Resident Certificate holders. My three children were born in Bermuda and think of themselves as Bermudian, although only the eldest holds Bermudian status. The other two children were born after the deadline of August, 1989 and will only be entitled to Permanent Resident Certificates like my husband and I.

Children born after August, 1989 are now beginning to turn 18. These children are now not only denied Bermudian status but also have no access to the scholarships that they would previously have had access to. Perhaps the local businesses offering these scholarships could reconsider their criteria with regard to whom they offer these scholarships. In my opinion these children are being discriminated against on the grounds of when they were born. Not all children born to non-Bermudians are necessarily wealthy and they did not choose to be born in Bermuda.

CONCERNED PARENT

Devonshire

A clarification

November 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you because the article entitled "Consultant gets fresh boost from CARF" published in the November 2nd issue of the Mid-Ocean News needs immediate clarification so that it doesn't cause undue public concern. As I explained during my interview with article's author, Mr. Walter Brown, the Amphibian Project does not do any research on cancer in humans. Therefore, we could not ¿ and would not ¿ make a claim that there is a 'correlation between the incidences of amphibian deformities and various forms of cancer that plague Bermuda residents' as stated in the article and photo caption. Our work so far identifies no such link.

I can understand how our continued support from CARF (the Cancer Assistance Research Foundation) might make one assume that we are doing cancer research in humans, but this is not the case.

As I also explained to Mr. Brown, CARF supports the Amphibian Project because they recognise that environmental health and human health are linked, and that the problems we are identifying in the toads and other species, caused by pollution, indicate that environmental health in Bermuda has declined. We are of course concerned that potential risks to human health may exist, which is one reason why we are trying to understand the various ways that environmental pollution is impacting toads and other wildlife species. I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to make these clarifications.

JAMIE BACON, PhD

Research Associate, Bermuda Zoological Society

Principal Investigator, Bermuda Amphibian Project

Malicious gossip

October 29, 2007

Dear Sir,

With respect to the letter printed in Saturday's October 27, 2007 edition submitted by Ms Pat Ferguson, it once again confirms that this paper of late has indulged in questionable journalistic ethics to advance a particular agenda. Over a week ago, I characterised the Bermuda Press Holdings' newspapers of which The Gazette is one, of having embarked upon a high-tech lynching of myself and other prominent figures within the Progressive Labour Party and government. The publication of the letter further supports the view that these types of vicious personal attacks are likely to continue through to the general election.

With respect to the most recent incident, as evidenced by her letter which she states took place two years ago ¿ or was it three or four, I certainly cannot recollect nor remember any incident of that type and was surprised, even shocked that she would purport such without substantiation. In fact, from my view those types of comments can only be viewed as malicious gossip of the worst sort.

I admit to having political differences with Ms Ferguson; we have two competing visions on how Bermuda can achieve social justice. However, these differences have never led me to treat her in an unprofessional, or in a less than personable manner. Publications of unsubstantiated personal attacks in media outlets such as The Royal Gazette further serves to derail the conversation from real political issues facing Bermuda

It is indeed a scary proposition for this country when a newspaper of such power, influence and responsibility can freely disseminate letters such as that without first confirming the veracity of the allegation contained within. These types of practices ultimately do not serve Bermuda's interest.

ROLFE COMMISSIONG

Cabinet Office

Editor's Note: Ms Ferguson's letter was written in reference to an e-mail written by Mr. Commissiong in which he called his correspondent "Mr. Racist" and an a**hole. Ms Ferguson stands by her version of events.