Why pen-names are used December 20, 2000
Many resort to pen-names to present their opinions and concerns in your newspaper. Why? There was wide resistance to signing names in support of the petition against arbitrary constitutional change. Why is that? The answer to both questions is fear, the fear of reprisal.
If the fear is only chimerical, why does the Government so loudly deprecate pen names, and go to such lengths to track down whistle blowers among themselves? Why do swathes of concerned people cross to the other side to avoid being asked to sign a simple petition? It should be no surprise to anyone that the reason for all of these sad realities is fear of retribution, fear of victimisation, fear of refusal of work permits, fear of black-listing for contracts, fear for building permits.
There is fear now even of politically directed prosecution. With Government already exercising politically motivated exemption from prosecution, it is a small step to prosecutions for political reasons. So, anyone speaking out, and signing names, is either brave and principled, or just plain foolish.
Let us hope that the Governor is not so isolated in his ivory tower that he cannot sense this pervading fear of reprisal. Could it be that those he ultimately reports to in the UK see our march to isolation (Independence) and effective dictatorship, and the onset of the internal disintegration and corruption that has accompanied such a step in virtually every other ex-dependency, as an opportunity to be happily and quickly rid of us, and more significantly a rapid end of the economic threat we now are to the City of London's financial and insurance interests? If all the other miserable, dictator ridden little ex-colonies out there are anything to go by, and it is hard to think of an exception, it won't take long.
REAL TIME St. George's We can solve problems December 22, 2000 Dear Sir, Besides their outwardly pleasant nature, Bermudians seem to feel that moaning and complaining are traits that will somehow move them closer to heaven. Why else would the local talk shows and letters-to-the-editor be so filled with constant reminders of the tiniest of problems. Rarely is a positive word heard, especially when it involves anything to do with Government action.
But a quick glance at recent history shows that the Government is in fact quite capable of solving some very major problems, problems which appeared insurmountable at first.
One example was the old Bus Depot at the entrance to the city. Every day you heard someone bemoan this eyesore and say that it should be moved somewhere else. And lo and behold if the Government didn't do just that, building a very modern facility out by the North Shore and building a new entrance to the city which everyone is very proud of. But have we ever heard a word of commendation about this? Has there ever been much said about the "great job'' which Planning and Works did? Not in my memory.
And then there was the dump. It smelled, it was ugly, it was a blight on such a beautiful Island. But when the answer to the problem was first proposed there was a shrill cry against having an incinerator, even though it was the only plausible answer to the problem. Now the incinerator has been humming along for quite a while. The dump is no more and gone are the awful odours and the awful sight of mountains of garbage. But have we ever heard a word of commendation about this? Has there ever been much said about the "great job'' which Planning and Works did? Not in my memory.
Now we approach Christmas and every year we have heard screams about the awful job which the Customs group does in clearing packages. But has anyone noticed what has happened this year? Customs has implemented new procedures and the clearance delay has just about disappeared. But will we ever hear a word of commendation about this? Will there ever be much said about the "great job'' which Customs is doing? One can only hope.
DAVID BEDARD Smiths's Parish Support Council Partners December 18, 2000 Dear Sir, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support during our month long campaign "fuelling up against substance abuse''.
The Esso Family of Stations and the Council Partners are impressed with the support to date. However, during this holiday season please fill your vehicles at any Esso station throughout the Island and help us save lives.
For every gallon purchased during December, five cents will be donated to the Council Partners to help fund solutions to substance abuse, so in the true spirit of giving, help us save lives by fuelling at Esso.
AUSTIN WARNER JR.
Director of Development -- Community Council Partners Charitable Trust