Disruptions are a bad sign

September 30, 2010

Dear Sir,

The recent industrial action by bus drivers and ferry operators is another clear sign that there are serious issues within Government. While these employees may have legitimate issues, disrupting service to those who pay their wages, i.e. the taxpayers, benefits no one. If the concerns of Government employees are not being adequately addressed by their supervisors/management, then there must be appropriate avenues for recourse (including holding the same supervisors/managers responsible).

Abandoning commuters and tourists (the same ones we are spending millions of dollars to try and attract) just inflames the situation and makes the public less sympathetic to the concerns being raised. Government officials are charged with providing the taxpayers with effective services and if these types of disruptions are not addressed, taxpayers will be left wondering what $1.1bn (the annual Government budget) buys them.

KENT SMITH

St. George's

P.S. Government's silence on the issue(s) doesn't help either

Service in restaurants

September 27 2010

Dear Sir,

I was so happy to read Frequently Disappointed Diner and Dissatisfied Bermudian, letters to you. As a self-appointed Foodie I started to reflect on going out to dine in a local restaurant and getting poor service and bad food with grats on the bill at the end of the meal. I have no issue paying grats, be it 15 or 18 percent. But I have an issue where the service and food is bad. And if the service was 'A+', I pay more.

Some examples of what I have faced:

1. Fourteen people with reservations arrived at one of the top four restaurants in Bermuda, only to be rudely asked by the female host if we had a reservation which we did and all 14 were there on time only to be told to have a drink at the bar. OK, no problem, we were on time maybe they were not ready for us, even though we could see our table waiting for us. After 25 minutes at the bar watching guests arrive without reservations and be seated right away I thought forget it. I told my friends I was leaving and to remember they would have still added 18 percent to our bill. After making us wait, it did not feel right to me. I have not been back or recommended the place to anyone.

2. I had the honour of taking a friend to this classic eatery and the seared Tuna steak caught my eye. I love that pink Tuna seasoned just right. My friend had Gnocchi. Waiter placed a mystery white fish in a sauce in front of me I asked "what is this", only to be told we ran out of Tuna so here is some rockfish. Wrong. Please do not decide what I wish to put in my mouth. So I just had the fish chowder as my main and was shocked to see they added 15 percent which I did not pay. When the maitre d' questioned us, I told him I did not have what I ordered. And they apologised but I have not raced back there either.

3. I had a great lunch here so I decided to have dinner there and ordered two things off the menu, only to be told by the waitress, I will put the fries on the side. What fries? Changed order to two catch of the day – nice meal after screw up. 15% on the bill and awful coffee to drink. I guess it was not as European as I thought.

4. I was doing a festival style dinner, the same night as a friend's birthday and they could handle 12 guests. We arrived to hear the owner manager telling off some of her staff. And then going around cleaning dust off the plants after a 20-minute wait the host approached and took our drink order. We told him what we were celebrating and to keep the drinks coming. After one round we had to coax him out of the darkness to take more drinks. Then saw the buffet being setup. The meal was very good but the service sucked.

There is one eastern place I go to every Sunday where the food and the service is 'A+' level. Always, I know things change at other places in the kitchen when a chef or waiter leaves. But bad service is still bad service. I enjoy eating great food and normally tip above the 15% at the places that have stayed at my high level. I think staff need to work hard on bringing and keeping the standards up.

MARC-ANTHONY THOMAS

City of Hamilton