Lets find a solution

August 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

This in response to Customer Service's "Why Retail is in Decline" letter that appeared in your August 24 edition of The Royal Gazette. Customer Service, thank you for alerting us to your complaint. We strive to provide you with the best possible service, and when you feel that it fails to meet your expectations, it is important for us to know. We are sorry that you received service that prompted you to file a complaint, and we regret any inconvenience or frustration that your experience has caused you. To ensure that our staff conducts itself in a manner that reflects the high regard that we have for our customers, we have notified the proper department of your complaint.

Your patronage is important to us, and we hope that you will continue to give us opportunities to serve you. At your earliest, kindly contact me at 279-5454 or at ggrund@psl.bm, I would like find a reasonable resolution to your complaint. Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

GEORGE GRUNDMULLER

President & CEO

The Phoenix Stores Ltd.

TCI's systemic corruption

August 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

Senator Walton Brown has said (Royal Gazette, August 19) that the imposition of direct government control of the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) by Westminster "is clearly excessive" and "shows you the extent to which the UK government can act without democratic discussion in the Overseas Territories". Premier Brown has also lamented this "imposition" by the UK government.

I wonder what either Senator Brown or the Premier of Bermuda knows about the democratic popular voice of the people of TCI who actually complained about the misbehaviour of elected TCI government officials (including ex-Premier Misick) which was why the Commission of Inquiry was set up there in the first place. And I wonder if they realise what the implications have been for the people of TCI from the extent of the (alleged) disgraceful shenanigans of those elected officials. My guess is that neither Senator Brown nor the Premier has the slightest idea about this from their lofty government perch.

I have worked in TCI for the past few years to help produce educational books for the primary schools there. At the start of the process there was, apparently, plenty of money to fund what was quite an expensive project. (I say apparently, because we had the implicit approval and collaboration of the Government to produce the books.) After just two years, however, the government coffers have been bled dry by the (alleged) wasteful frittering away of financial resources by those government officials implicated in the Commission of Inquiry, such that this project is now in abeyance, apparently for lack of funds.

Yes, Senator Brown, there are "systemic challenges" in TCI, to do not only with the allegations of corruption and dishonesty by elected officials in the TCI government but by the inadequacies of standards of governance that the TCI people might expect of a democratic, popularly elected ministerial government. And it is true that Galmo Williams (who replaced ex-Premier Misick) was not "tainted" by the Inquiry in so far as he was not called to give evidence before it.

But I can assure Senator Brown (and Premier Brown) that the people of TCI have been extremely angry about the misbehaviour of their elected officials, and that they want their democratic government to be reformed to be accountable, transparent and responsible. This, in part, means weeding out the unaccountable, opaque and irresponsible (I would say reprehensible) members of the TCI government who have caused this action to be taken by the UK, and by metaphorically fumigating the entire government system to get rid of the general pestilence infecting it.

I am equally angry that TCI government officials, by their selfish, reckless and irresponsible misbehaviour, allegedly, have frittered away funds that might otherwise have been used to pay for the sorely needed educational resources for TCI students — the young people of their own country. This, in itself, borders on moral and ethical criminality, at the very least, in my opinion, and deserves to be censured in its own right.

Note that this is not the first time that Westminster has imposed direct rule on TCI as a result of government impropriety. In 1986, after the Blom-Cooper inquiry into political corruption there, and after two TCI government officials were convicted of drugs charges in 1985, constitutional powers were suspended by Westminster and an Interim Government Advisory Council established, headed by the then governor of TCI Christopher Turner. (In 1988 a new and revised constitution — and electoral reform – was brought into force, with the restitution of ministerial government.)

The people of TCI deserve to have a responsible body of government answerable to them for their government's actions. It is quite clear, by the findings of the Commission of Inquiry, that the "systemic challenges" noted by Senator Brown are too deep-rooted (which is what systemic means) for the problems to be resolved locally and on their own. The UK government has no particular axe to grind against TCI nor reason to take over the democratic governance of TCI for any motive other than, as a temporary measure, to help the people fix the problems of their government.

If that is what it takes to instill proper standards of governance in TCI, then I believe the people of TCI will largely support that action, for their own long term benefit and the welfare of their future generations, despite the rather cavalier assumptions by Senator Brown and his ilk that the move "denies people [in TCI] the right to participate democratically in their own country." The people have exercised that right already, Senator Brown; it was called the Commission of Inquiry.

G. FAIELLA

London

Support all local artists

August 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

Having just returned from a wonderful afternoon in Dockyard to view Trevor Todd's latest show, I was reminded of Dr. Eva Hodgson letter to the editor on August 14, suggesting to readers in the black community that they should support local black artists. While I support Dr. Hodgson's suggestion, I would not stop at supporting only black artists. Art, as Dr. Hodgson knows, is very subjective and I buy art I like and it has nothing to do with the skin colour of the artist. I had a look at my own collection just to remind myself of what I had and it includes works from a number of locals because I support local artists and more importantly I like the art. Locals, black or white, should not have to be reminded to support local artists. Doing so is good for everyone.

DAVID C. HOLMES

Smith's

Public support was crucial

August 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

On behalf of the governing body and staff of the Bermuda Society of Arts, I wish to sincerely thank everyone who supported us in our efforts to secure a new lease, which I can happily say for those of you who are not aware, is now finally in place between the Corporation of Hamilton and the Bermuda Society of Arts. We are particularly appreciative to all immediate past, and present, Corporation of Hamilton Members, and for the extraordinary attention and time given to the matter of our lease by the Corporation's CEO and Secretary, Mr. Edward Benevides.

The lease has a duration of 21 years and is fair to both parties. We have been tenants of the Corporation for nearly 50 years, but on a rolling six-month lease, so this new agreement provides us with a security of tenure that we have never previously enjoyed. We can now look forward to the next 21 years during which "the People's Gallery", serving all artists from those emerging, to accomplished professionals, can move perform all the tasks the Society has set out to do.

The last 19 months have been challenging, and all of us at the Bermuda Society of Arts have been most gratified by the overwhelming support we have received from all sectors of Bermuda's community, who have expressed clearly their view that the arts in Bermuda are alive, well, and an important and valuable component of a civilised society.

We believe it is as a direct result of the ongoing groundswell of interest and assistance, that we are in the fortuitous position we find ourselves today. Indeed, since the news of the 21-year lease became public knowledge, we have received many telephone calls and e-mail messages from our supporters, in which congratulatory statements and affirmation of the need for our organisation are strenuously stated. Sincerely, thank you; we look forward to seeing you in our galleries either as art collectors, volunteers, exhibitors, or supporters thereof.

JEAN H. GARDNER

President

Bermuda Society of Arts

Just curious

August 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

Today as usual I was pestered by one of the "Front and Reid Street regulars" begging for money, at the same time he was on a cell phone talking to someone. I'm just curious to know who is paying for the cell phone?

FED UP

Southampton

The Bible told him so

August 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

In reference to John Newton (who wrote “Amazing Grace”), Lynne Winfield asks how a good man who read the Bible daily could not see the depravity of slavery. I can only suggest that perhaps it is because the daily reading of the Bible reinforced his belief that slavery was acceptable to Jesus.

Setting aside the numerous references in the Old Testament which describe how slaves are to be considered inheritable property, etc., the New Testament gives guidelines on how slaves should treat their masters (i.e. obediently and well, assuming their masters are believers ... see 1 Timothy 6:1-4 and Ephesians 6:5). This would have gone a long way toward relieving his “cognitive dissonance” between what he may have known in his heart about the horrors of slavery and his intimate involvement in the slave trade.

BELIEVER

Southampton

What would happen if...

August 21, 2009

Dear Sir,

The remarks by Lorna McGowan, a Mirrors volunteer (Royal Gazette, August 19) was a reminder of the "no go zones" for some of our young black people. It made me wonder what might happen if every PLP MP were to arrange a dialogue/conversation session (or two, or three) with the disillusioned young people in their constituency and then, together with the MPs in the other areas, undertake a country wide project involving all of these young people to illustrate the importance of working together without boundaries or "no go zones".

I realise that there are MPs who feel that they are "too busy" to give personal attention to the concerns of a single individual in their constituency but what on any of their agendas can be more important than saving our young people who are often creating problems that impact the entire society? I choose to believe that some would be responsive merely because MPs, who are perceived as having status and significance, were giving them attention. For many of our young people who are already living in limiting circumstances, to be further limited in this tiny 21 square miles is destructive and even criminal. What does any MP have to do that would make him/her "too busy" to give a little of their personal attention to this problem of our young people?

DR. EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Take care of the homeless

August 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

It is a very sad state of affairs when a Government can spend $11 million on cricket, $17 million on a golf course, endless millions on unnecessary travel, and yet cannot find the modest sum that it would take to renovate the collapsing buildings that house the homeless. The Salvation Army does wonders for the needy around the world, and we are blessed with a dedicated group here in Bermuda, but for all their help and caring, without the funds to renovate their premises there is little they can do. I understand that the money promised is no longer available, and I think it is disgusting. When are we going to get leaders that care about the people instead of themselves?

E. RABEN

Paget

Dangerous roads

August 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

I'm putting my three-pennies-worth in on items I see that need attention on our Bermuda roads. I concur with Peter Foster's letter to the Editor on August 20, 2009. My personal observations are that lighting at night is a particular problem. Take the area of road from Wilkinson Avenue travelling west as far as the Government Quarry Road. The roads are winding, the corners are dangerous, especially at night. We need cat's eyes in the middle of the roads on all those bad corners. When it's raining, it's even worse. We also need pedestrian crossing markings on the roads where the Railway Right of Way crosses our roads. For example, by Harmony Club in Paget, and Cobbs Hill Road in Warwick, people are very hesitant to cross the road at these two junctions. Many people use the Railway right of way to run, walk, or walk their animals but no vehicular traffic seems to want to give way to pedestrians in these two areas.

PETER BROMBY SR.

Paget

Heartwarming

August 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

We are from an Amnesty International Chapter in the United States that has pressed for years for release of the Uighur prisoners in Guantánamo. It was both wonderful and embarrassing to see the golf-course photographs of four of these men in your newspaper the other day: wonderful to see innocent men at long last free and independent on your beautiful island; and embarrassing for us, as Americans, to know that our country has not shown the decency that Bermuda has shown.

We were very disappointed when the US Congress fell captive to prejudice and politics and blocked the resettlement of the Uighurs in the United States. We know that there has been controversy within your country about your Government's decision to accept the four Uighurs. How heartening to see the results, photographed in your newspaper, of Bermuda's decision to refer human decency to fear and paranoia! We hope to visit your island soon! Many thanks.

Kudos to KEMH staff

The following letter was sent to Chief Executive Officer of the Bermuda Hospitals Board and copied to The Royal Gazette

August 19, 2009

Dear Mr. Hill,

A couple of weeks ago one of my neighbours sent you a letter praising the staff at King Edward and I too, am doing the same thing. I was in the Out Patients Ward, on Tuesday, August 4 for a colonoscopy performed by Dr. Elliott. Apart from one person who wasn't the happiest in the world I can only say that everyone else in the Out Patients Ward was exceptional, they were friendly, helpful and in every way very caring. The Operating Room was the same, I have nothing but praise for everyone.

Unfortunately when one is being wheeled into O.R. you do not have access to pen and paper and therefore I cannot give specific names, all I can say is the nurse who apologised profusely about have to have me an injection that might sting was delightful and I think it was Dr. Pinto I saw after that. The Manager of the Out Patients Department and all the nurses associated with after care were superb. A copy of this letter has been sent to The Royal Gazette.

CAROL A CARVALHO

Southampton