Salute to Anthony Peets

December 8, 2008

Dear Sir,

This is just a little note of appreciation to a very outstanding young gentleman by the name of Anthony Peets. I have known Mr. Peets for over 25 years and I want to tell the public that he is a one in a million man when it comes to relating to children. Mr. Peets has made a big difference in the lives of many of our young men and young women.

I have even heard of many students and parents who were broken hearted when he left Clearwater Middle School. I have had several people say to me if it was not for 'uncle Anthony' as he is affectionately called by any young people and some adults, 'I don't know where my child would be.' I will say without prejudice that if the educational system had more men like 'uncle Anthony' Bermuda's students will be saying something. Uncle Anthony, I salute you and your family. Nuff respect and plenty Big Ups!

A SISTER IN SOUTHAMPTON

Thank you Greg Slayton

December 15, 2008

Dear Sir,

I would like to take this opportunity to share a few thoughts about the United States Consul General, Greg Slayton, in response to a recent letter in the letters column of your sister paper. The author of that letter was critical of the Consul General.

He suggested that the relationship between Bermuda and the US has never been worse than it is today, while it was never better than the period under John Swan's leadership. The writer also suggested that Mr. Slayton is somehow responsible for the current state of this poor United States/Bermuda relationship.

I would like to agree with the author, that Bermuda's relationship with the US, in recent memory, has probably never been better than the period under John's Swan's leadership. However I think the worse period is not the present but likely the period just prior to Mr. Slayton's arrival, when relations between our country and the US were undergoing a relatively difficult time.

We can remember that period when the then Premier of Bermuda and one of Mr. Slayton's predecessors had public disagreements over several issues, including possible cultural developments between Bermuda and Cuba.

Mr. Slayton, a few weeks after taking up his new post in Bermuda, immediately set out to improve the relationship between our two countries and worked with the then-Premier to look at the possibility of taking a high level Bermuda delegation to Washington to meet key policymakers in the US.

This happened and paved the way for several more visits to Washington which included delegations under the current leadership of Premier Brown. One recent Washington visit, led by Mr. Slayton, included a meeting between Dr. Brown and President Bush.

Mr. Slayton has also hosted many events at his home where Bermudians from all walks of life and Government leaders have had the opportunity to meet US policymakers. He has actively sought to do all within his sphere of influence to enhance the relationship between our Government leaders and those in Washington, who could prove extremely useful to us during these uncertain times.

I shudder to think where we would be if Mr. Slayton had taken the road of quiet diplomacy which many of his predecessors had taken. While relationships may not yet be what they were under John Swan, they are certainly much better now than they were three years ago prior to the arrival of the Slaytons and the timing of Mr. Slayton's appointment could not have been better for our Country.

While Mr. Slayton put a very high priority in assisting Bermuda to develop important key relationships in the US, he also set out to enhance the understanding on the role of the office of the Councul General in Bermuda and has done much to communicate several important messages regarding immigration, the US stop list, passport requirements and other issues that may not have been clear to Bermudians and residents.

Mr. Slayton has been criticised for his enthusiasm and energy and his constant use of the media to get messages to the public. I believe his energy and enthusiasm as well as his excellent relationship with the local media have been key to his ability to develop many useful programmes that have enhanced understanding and appreciation of our two cultures.

Another development in the building of relationships has been the inclusion of the Bermuda public in the July 4 celebrations which were previously mostly confined to US citizens. Mr. Slayton suggests that the Bermuda July 4 celebration has grown to be the biggest such event outside of the US and its territories.

It has been designed to allow local corporations to give to the local charities who participate, while encouraging Bermudians to celebrate with American citizens on island. This event has been a complete sell-out since its inception.

We have certainly seen a lot of Mr. Slayton as he has sought to communicate the role of the consulate in Bermuda. He and his family have made huge sacrifices in their personal time to ensure that Bermudians understand and appreciate the importance of a close relationship with the US. Surely we all understand the importance of that relationship as we face difficult times.

As a Bermudian, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Slayton for the many efforts he has made on behalf of the people of Bermuda and his country. I am aware of many other positive projects for which he has taken a leadership role. Many of these community based projects have been carried out for the good of our community and are an example of Mr. Slayton's commitment to his work.

His tireless efforts have certainly clarified the role of the Consulate and created a refreshing new appreciation of the Consulate Office amongst local residents. His efforts to assist with the healing of US/Bermuda relationships have been very effective and appreciated by many in our community. Bermuda has had a boost that will hopefully serve us well during the months ahead. While it is likely that there will be another appointment to the post of US Consul General in Bermuda within the next few months, I believe Mr. Slayton will be a hard act to follow.

THANKFUL

City of Hamilton