Less crime against tourists

July 6, 2010

Dear Sir,

The good news about the drop in tourist arrivals to Bermuda this year is we have seen a massive decrease in tourist robberies while they travel on their bikes, while staying in hotels and muggings on Pitts Bay Road in Pembroke. Heaven help us if one of the local gangsters should shoot or kill a visitor. Tourism would be truly dead in the water. Forget about tar balls on our beaches.

THOMAS OF SOUTHAMPTON

Electricity charges

July 2, 2010

Dear Sir,

I applaud the Smiths for their enterprising and environmentally sensitive development and hope they build more. I have one question that they could perhaps answer. The Pedros stated that their Belco bill for the first month would have been about $7. I do not have a net metering system so when I use less than a minimum amount of electricity from Belco they charge me a minimum of $40 a month. Do the owners of Greenview Villas have in place an agreement whereby there is no minimum monthly charge?

HOPING FOR A REDUCED BILL TOO

Pembroke

Thank you for your prayers

June 27, 2010

Dear Sir,

First and foremost I give praise and honour to Almighty God for touching my body and starting me on the road to recovery. Special Thanks to my Paster Rev. Lanel Guyton, Rev. Judith Gardner and Rev. Quinton Ming for their visits and constant prayers while I was hospitalised.

Let me extend very special thanks to my second mother Sis. Lois L. Weeks, my Goddaughter Sharel Jones and her mother sis Lois Johnson, to everyone who visited me and those who were concerned and inquired about my health. May God continue to pour His blessings on each of you. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and the earth." Psalm 121. Love to you all.

MICHAEL CHARLES TROTT

Pembroke

Premier takes the blame

July 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

In my opinion, the Premier in his position as Minister of Transport is directly responsible for the poor conditions we experience on Bermuda's roads today. How, you may ask? In his early days in this position he changed the regulations and allowed both larger and more powerful bikes and cars/SUVs on our roads.

He is the one who allowed new HCH Truck permits to be issued (when previously the category was closed), in the name of new business for young "black" entrepreneurs. The market is now flooded by trucks making it hard for the trucker to make a living, thus hurting the very ones he wished to "help".

He is the one directly responsible for allowing tractor trailer dumpsters to haul items that could previously only be moved by HC Trucks (sand, rubble, screenings, vegetation etc). This move has lead to an increase of tractor trailers and also their frequency of use on our roads. As these vehicles are so huge (eight feet wide and longer than 40 feet with trailer) they should only be used when essential. The Minister is responsible for all the new mini buses that unfairly compete with taxis. which are not forced to abide by a meter.

All that I have written above are FACTS... do the research if you do not believe it. All this from a Premier that says he has Bermuda's best interest at heart! Really? You will be judged by your actions and not your words...

CLINTON J.A. PAYNTER

St. George's

Protect our Island

June 17, 2010.

Dear Sir,

I feel compelled to write on the topic of the "BP oil spill." Dr. Ming stated that Bermuda has a machine that is designed to remove oil from the beaches if BP's oil spill should be a threat to Bermuda. Come on Bermuda! This oil spill is a threat to Bermuda and don't try and sugarcoat it.

Not taking anything from Dr. Ming or Dr. Knapp, I think we all know that if the oil spill reaches our beaches, it is a bit late for our marine life (corals, fish, etc.). We need to protect our island now, before the oil reaches the shores. Dr. Knap, Dr. Wingate, Biological Station, Meteorologist, Mr. Hayward, the Government Environment Department, the people of Bermuda, we need to put our heads together now to protect Bermuda from this mess, this greed, do any of you realise the devastation this oil spill can cause Bermuda. I don't think the powers that be are taking this matter very seriously. They just don't seem to be worried about it. What are we going to do? Wait until August and say, "Oh my, I was wondering when the oil would make its way here, or someone did predict August." Well at that point folks, we just might as well go home and sleep, cause it will be all too late.

We all need to be proactive, find out what we can do to keep this oil off our shores. We should also advise BP oil that we need to be included in the price tag of clean up. As our livelihood is very dependent on its beautiful beaches, birds, other living creatures and we have limited space, so the shifting of a population is not even in the cards. Just a warning that if oil makes our shores, we will not have the ability, or the money to clean up. So, what's it going to be, just another day in Paradise, or will we be shedding tears when it's too late? We need to ask some very important questions. How are we, as an island going to tackle this?

We cannot depend on other countries to think for us. The good old 'US of A' is using its own resources to do their clean up and you see what a mess it is and the sad thing is, "BP oil is still spewing", no one is sure when the flow will stop. Our Mother Country is so far away we may have to get an active plan now to ensure some assistance when required; we need to help ourselves first.

Let's start thinking. What type of equipment will be required, how much of that equipment would we need, how much boom would we need, do we have enough if not where's the best place to get it quickly (within 24 hours), are we trained, do we have trained personnel to deal with something of this magnitude, can we train our people right now within the next month. Do we have enough boats and deckhands that are fit to run booms and other equipment to strategic places, like outside our reefs. Do we have enough? Do we know enough? Are we enough? Our officials, better take heed, we need a plan, perhaps a plan B and C. I don't have an alphabet behind my name... but I'm sure one or two little machines to clean the beaches is not and I repeat: Not enough! It's too late!

CONCERNED ON ST. DAVID'S

Following the pack

July 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

I would like to question the brains behind the new yellow speed reducing strips laid on the streets of the old Town of St. George. Now our roads are not only in need of paving but also an eyesore. The pot-holes and damage from carting away the old hotel were filled and now have been replaced with the bumps. Were these strips put in place to slow down the traffic? I for one can attest, after catching onto the word, that the slower one drives over these strips the worse the shake-rattle-n-roll is. Rather than try and rattle my old car's muffler off I think I shall follow the pack and stick to 25 km/hr when driving through the town. On another note I think it best if the Transport Minister informs the Tourism Minister that our visiting tourists please be advised white lines mean crosswalks, yellow lines mean beware.

TIRED OF BEING BUMPED ABOUT

St. George's