The state of St. George's

July 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

As a life long resident of St. George's it saddens me to see its current state. I can't help but feel that a big part of the problem here is a direct result of deals brokered by our current Minister of Tourism. I, like everyone else in the town, was overjoyed to hear of the new development that was slated for the old Club Med site, but what was the purpose of:

1. Shutting down the Golf Course so far ahead of any development?

2. Tearing the Golf Clubhouse down when the building was in perfectly good shape and, once again, so far ahead of development?

3. Demolishing the St. Catherine's Beach House which housed bathroom facilities, bar & food concession.

All these facilities were completely separate from the Club Med Hotel structure. It also appears that thus far the only money invested in the site has come from the taxpayers of Bermuda as we all paid for its spectacular destruction. Wouldn't the prudent course of action have been to wait at least until construction of the new hotel had already begun? Scores of tourists this past season have been severely disappointed by the loss of their beloved golf course and beach facilities. These loses couldn't have come at a worse time for the poor town.

It is also my suspicion that the PLP Government did not put enough effort into securing a dedicated cruise ship for the beleaguered old town. Was this all some fiendish plan to make the "reform" (takeover) of the Corporation of St. George's just that much easier? Just a little food for thought.

CLINTON J.A. PAYNTER

St. George's

Radio talk revisited

July 6, 2010

Dear Sir,

The following transcript is of an interview the BBC Caribbean Service conducted with Bermuda Premier Ewart Brown a few days after the December 18, 2007 general election. (The transcript is "unofficial" but claimed to be "reliable" by its third-party transcriber.)

The interview speaks volumes, especially with hindsight, about the nature of this Premier's perception of his responsibilities as leader of the people of Bermuda, that is, all the people of Bermuda and the welfare of the Bermuda community at large after his almost three years in office. It might furthermore lead one to speculate upon the motive of the Premier's silence (to date) about recent racial taunts made in public by members of his government which (to date) he has not publicly censured. The proverb "Silence implies consent" might, speculatively, come to mind at this point.

BBCC: Bermuda's Premier Ewart Brown has called for a period of healing following a bitterly contested election in which racial tensions featured prominently. Mr. Brown's PLP won 22 seats, the same as in the last election, while the opposition UBP won the remaining 14. Premier Brown has dismissed opposition allegations that his party won by playing the racecard. He told BBC Caribbean that Bermuda has always been divided along racial lines and that it's a problem that must now be dealt with.

EB: The opposition party is a party where 95 percent of the white population has always voted for it. Most of the black people vote for our party, and the swing voters are considered black.

BBCC: Well let's look at that though, if your party is seen as one of black empowerment the opposition one for the whites you are now in government, you are going to have to unite the people. Isn't this going to be a very difficult job if your party has the label as the black party?

EB: No, I don't think so, I don't think so. We are the Government of Bermuda. The party has won the Government. Most of the members of our party are black and most of the members of the Opposition party are white. We've lived with that. It does make the challenge larger than we would like it to be. But we think it's doable. We think we can find quiet if not harmony.

BBCC: How?

EB: By having these conversations and understanding the historical context and the relationship between the history of Bermuda and present day Bermuda. That's very important.

BBCC: Understanding is one thing though, but taking concrete steps in another thing.

EB: Right, and concrete steps will be taken. In certain areas we will take concrete steps, for example, in seeing that businesses owned by black Bermudians are given certain compensatory types of assistance in order to play catch up that's what we are doing we are playing catch up. We are compensating for the past.

BBCC: That move clearly sends a signal to the white community and makes them feel uncomfortable in some respects

EB: This discomfort is part of the healing.

BBCC: But it could also make the problem worse

EB: I don't think so. We take the risk of healing the country. It's a risk you have to take.

BBCC: But you see, you see Premier, the first thing you are doing is reaching out to your black electorate. You haven't said anything as of yet about reaching out to the white part of your population and that.

EB: That's because you didn't raise it.

BBCC: So how are you going to reassure white people, who are your people, people who you govern?

EB: Well, we've reassured all of our people. And the white population of Bermuda really doesn't need a great deal of reassurance. The economy of Bermuda in the private sector is probably 90 percent controlled by white Bermudians so they don't really need any economic reassurance.

BBCC: So you won't seek to eke away their power base?

EB: That's not my job.

BBCC: Perhaps one of the more embarrassing moments for your previous administration was that police dossier making allegations that widespread corruption under your watch. How do you plan to ensure that your next tenure is one that is seen to be transparent and corruption free?

EB: There was no corruption under my Government. None whatsoever. So allegations are free for any and all to make. But that was all part of the effort to win the government. And you will notice that it will disappear, it will evaporate, now that the election is over.

BBCC: What for you will be the most important policy or the issues that you will be driving forward now that you are in office again?

EB: The most important one for us is education. We realise that we have a great deal of work to do. We have already begun the reform of our education system because our students were not doing well enough so that will be the primary focus for our administration.

Source: BBC Caribbean Service interview, 20th December 2007 [transcript by Vexed Bermoothes at www.vexedbermoothes.com/bermuda-drbrown-bbc/]

GRAHAM FAIELLA

London, UK

Protect the environment

June 28, 2010

Dear Sir,

To For a Cleaner Bermuda Again,

I agree with your letter published on June 24 about out-of-date event flyers littering Bermuda's utility poles. I, too, have seen months-old flyers and they do nothing to beautify Bermuda's natural landscape. Allow me to correct your assumption that these flyers are distributed by The Fairmont Southampton. Fairmont Hotels Bermuda does not post flyers on utility poles nor does anyone do it on our behalf. More likely, the flyers have been posted by one of the many local organisations that hold events at our hotels each year.

Your point, however, is a good one. There are many ways to advertise events that don't pollute our environment, including radio, newspaper, Internet and social media. Through Fairmont's commitment to our award-winning Green Partnership and Sustainable Seafood programmes and our involvement with the Recycle Bermuda Business Partnership Initiative, our hotels and our employees work hard each day to reduce our impact on the environment. We join you in encouraging others to seek similar ways to protect Bermuda's natural environment.

SHELLEY MESZOLY

Regional Director of Sales & Marketing

Fairmont Hotels Bermuda

Kudos to Preschool

July 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

My wife and I decided last academic school year to place our daughter at St. John's Pre-School. I am one, like many, who think long and hard as to where I place my kids. Kids spend 200 days each year in school and, at 35 hours/week, 7,000 hours of influence are spent under the care of others. The personal criteria I have for any school is that the atmosphere, as soon as you walk in, is engaging and child-friendly. You can see that on the walls are things that kids created; positive messages, smiles, beautiful colours and cleanliness with the signs of upkeep. Most important is the voice tone used in the engagement of kids, no shouting and cajoling. Also, of course, an openness and willingness for visits in which you come unannounced and "hear and feel the pulse of the school in action". Where you can come on the playground and see great supervision. Of course, the work you do as an astute parent can be unwound in a millisecond with a life experience. Thus the importance of learning and reinforcing developmentally appropriate information.

This year our daughter had a phenomenal experience at St. John's Pre-School. The staff there, in my opinion, needs to be photocopied and disseminated throughout the planet. The administrator, Ms. Curtis, is First Class. As a parent you are addressed professionally and held, yes held, to a high expectation of behaviour and interaction.

Our daughter's teacher, Mrs. McNorton is world class. Important to my wife and I was that our daughter loved learning and loved her teacher. We are proud to say that indeed we are her first teachers and she arrived more than prepared and engaged for the learning process as our role, and every parent's role, is crucial. Never leave learning only to take place in school. We had regular consultation, professional dialogue and our Princess is more than prepared for a fantastic experience in Primary One.

Mr. Editor, some choose to debunk the thought that it takes a village. For me the truth, no matter what, is that the world is one that is global in scope. Our children, as long as they breathe, will be in this world. Those who they come in contact with must inspire them. I let teachers know that their words and actions are eternal and to think of a child their entire life repeating a sentence or experience they had with them forever. So indeed I say Thanks for world class teachers everywhere who pour their hearts and souls into kids. I salute all the Staff of St. John's Pre-School. Continue to be world class.

ANTHONY PEETS

Pembroke

A note of thanks

June 28, 2010.

Dear Sir,

On behalf of the family of Mr. Walter Wooley who died at the Royal Naval Dockyard on October 1, 1918. I would like to commend and thank Ms Carla Hayward and her staff at the Bermuda Archives for their assistance in locating the burial site of Mr. Wooley at the Ireland Island Cemetery.

The successful research enabled his granddaughter to pay her respects during a brief visit to the Island on June 26, when the cruise ship on which she was travelling docked for one day. Without the help of the Bermuda Archives staff, Mrs. Sue Simons (a volunteer at the Maritime Museum) and Mr. Andrew Bermingham, the satisfactory conclusion to this research could not have been achieved. Much appreciation is extended to everyone who assisted.

FREDA RODERICK

St. George's

Archaic institution

July 2, 2010.

Dear Sir,

For many years I have given thought to our current system of conscripting our young men into the Bermuda Regiment. I am completely and wholeheartedly against the draft for the reasons:

1. It is fundamentally discriminatory as it drafts only 50 percent of our population; males.

2. The argument that our young males need this type of discipline is ridiculous. It is not the state's job to discipline our sons, it is the job of families and parents. Furthermore, by 18 years old, haven't we left it a bit late?

3. I resent the Regiment yelling and screaming at our sons and demeaning them in front of their peers when they are given no right to object or challenge their treatment and are forced, by way of conscription, to accept it.

4. I object to our sons being taught how to use firearms and wonder why we are all so shocked that firearms are entering into daily use in Bermuda. If it's wrong to have and operate firearms in Bermuda, why would we choose to teach our sons how to use them at the Regiment?

5. I understand that fewer than a handful of countries in the developed (Western) world still have conscription. Why on earth does Bermuda? I note that in today's Royal Gazette (July 2nd) that Sweden, one of the last remaining countries to use conscription has now also abolished it, which was in force for 100 years.

6. If we feel we need the security of a Regiment, which surely cannot be protection from invasion, why not make it a "job" as in the US or UK and actually pay our young men to serve? Why mandate it when it's clearly against their will in most cases?

7. How sad are the times when the big, burly M.P.'s from the Regiment, burst into businesses in town and drag off your young men in handcuffs for failing to show up when conscripted? Shame on you, Bermuda Regiment, and shame on you, Bermuda Government, for not having testicular fortitude or the leadership to end such an archaic institution. In this instance, I am ashamed to be Bermudian.

8. I know first hand, from a Regiment recruit, how demeaning the Regiment can be. He explained that once "Lights out" occurred, the male recruits were forbidden from leaving the barracks for any reason including using the bathroom. He explained how sad and disgusted he was when these young men were forced to urinate in their canteens as they weren't permitted to leave. This is discipline? Somehow by demeaning our young men in this manner we are helping society? I would suggest that this type of degrading treatment only serves to make our young men angry at society. After their "service," we dump them back into our community with the instruction "be good husbands, fathers and brothers and contribute to society."

9. Lastly, these recent allegations of male on male sexual abuse at the Regiment are highly disconcerting. However, regardless of whether they are shown to be valid or unfounded, on so many levels, the Regiment is a throwback to the past and must be ended. It is simply wrong.

If the Regiment is such an essential service, why on September 11, 2001, did it take 14 hours to embody our soldiers? Imagine if we were, as a country, under threat. Clearly the $10 million, that is the annual budget for the Regiment, would be better spent on advertising for and employing young men and women that enjoy this sort of work. "Be all you can be" as they say in the US. We would have a far better Regiment who were, full time, fully trained and not forced there against their will.

STEPHEN THOMSON