Getting rid of the divide

November 23, 2010

Dear Sir,

Last night, November 21, on "Let's Talk", the Bermuda Democratic Alliance candidate for the upcoming Warwick election stressed what other members of BDA have stressed. They exist to rid Bermuda of the political black/white divide. But I have never heard them say what they are going to do to rid us of the black/white divide apart from their mere existence.

The deep divide between black and white Bermudians is above all economic. The economic divide which obviously existed in 1834 has been deliberately maintained ever since and inevitably results in other divisions that are social, cultural, emotional and, of course, political. If the economic divide continues to be ignored, the political divide will continue to exist. The BDA is indulging in an illusion if they think that their mere existence will rid us of the racial divide, and that is true even if they were, by some miracle, to win the Government and continue to ignore the economic divide.

Those who do not want to address the economic divide may blame lack of objectivity, or excessive rhetoric, or just talking about race as the reason for the divide while they resist any effort to address the economic divide. The fact that there are black politicians who condemn those who talk about the racial divide does nothing to change the fact that the economic divide that existed in 1834 has been deliberately maintained ever since and clearly results in a racial divide. The silence of black politicians on the subject only means that having escaped the worst impact of the racial divide themselves, they could not care less about what is happening to the rest of the black community!

Personally, I will believe that the BDA is seriously concerned about getting rid of the racial divide when I see their proposal for addressing the economic divide between the two communities.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Trying to shop local

November 20, 2010

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the article which appeared in The Royal Gazette on November 19, 2010 with regards to the "shop local" drive.

As a Bermudian who would prefer to "shop local" I thought it important to share what happened to me earlier this week when I attempted to "shop local".

I called a local business with regard to subscribing to a magazine rather than doing so online. The response I received was completely incredulous! When I inquired as to how I go about subscribing to this magazine, I was told the following:

"I do not have a list of the magazines we sell so I do not know if we sell this magazine.

"You have to go to our store and look for the magazine and if you see it, we sell it – if not we do not sell it."

The response I expected and most certainly would have given had I been in that position is: "Madam, let me check our list of magazines to see if we sell it and if not, I will look into bringing it in for you. Let me take your name and number and I will call you back as soon as possible."

So guess what – I had absolutely no choice but to go online and subscribe to this magazine because the person with whom I spoke was not interested in my business!

What happened to good old fashioned customer service? It seems to have indeed fallen by the wayside!

STYMIED

City of Hamilton

What changed?

November 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

The local media reports "Premier sees a 'change in tone' by British government". Or is it more likely that this is due to the "change in Premiers"?

The Gombey has most definitely left the building.

CLINTON J.A. PAYNTER

St. George's