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Insulted

June 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

I think we've got hold of the wrong end of the stick here. This Guantánamo thing isn't about terrorists, or humanitarian gestures. I don't know if the Guantánamo four are terrorists or not.

Nor do you and nor does anyone else. After all, the details and negotiations were kept secret from the Foreign Office, let alone from you and me.

This whole episode strikes me as not being about Bermuda having four new immigrants with questionable reputations. It looks to me as though it's about provoking the British Foreign office, and forcing them to react. Another tweaking of the lion's tail. Once the Foreign Office are pushed into making any active protest, Bermudians can be told, "see how these Colonialists are trying to tell us how to run our country! Remember what they did in Turks and Caicos", and predictably the Bermudian audience will respond as expected, with anger, and resentment.

Another step on the road to independence, a new constitution, and Presidency for life?

Dr. Brown is no fool. He knew very well that he could not constitutionally negotiate these matters with a foreign power. He went right ahead and did it though. He thought that he would write the words, The Foreign Office would be forced to play the song that he wanted, and that the man in the street in Bermuda would dance to his tune. He seems to have miscalculated on one thing however. A sad indictment on Bermuda perhaps, but he didn't count on the massive objection that people would have to our four new arrivals.

Do you really want to be treated like this by our country's leader? Personally I am insulted that anyone should look down on me as just another dumb sheep to be manipulated quite so easily. It does appear however that this is how we all look if you're getting the view from the top of the heap.

BAAAA, WE'VE BEEN –HUMBUGGED

City of Hamilton

For stable government

June 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

With regard to the illegal and secretive bringing in of the four Uighurs – humanitarian humbug! Remember, folks, the closing of the KEMH clinic which hugely upset and further disadvantaged a large group of already disadvantaged and disabled Bermudians – a very "humanitarian" act on the part of Premier Brown!

Both Premier Brown and Minister Burch have shown themselves (time and time again), to be dangerous loose cannons, who so clearly resent Bermuda's constitutional ties with the UK, with its parliamentary system and protocols, that whenever they can take a swipe at it, they do – like a pair of silly rebellious school boys. Democracy has become dictatorship. We must get back to stable government and good governance by mature men and women with consciences, integrity and backbones!

PENNY HILL

Hamilton Parish

Time to wake up

June 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

As an American born in Bermuda, I totally disagree with our President and your Premier. Don't they realise the impact this would have on tourism? Did someone forget that tourism is Bermuda's bread and butter? Wake up Bermuda before its to late.

AL BAPTISTE SR.

Toms River, New Jersey

Missing the plot

Dear Sir,

I listened with disgust to HOTT 107.5 this morning. Why? Morbid curiosity, I guess. I knew what was going to happen and sometimes hate when I am proven right. The political spin machine was in full effect attempting to diminish the true spirit of Tuesday's demonstration and what it was about. Once again out comes the race card, the last resort of desperate men.

Mr. Dill was hell bent to point out that all he saw were white faces in a short clip that he viewed. As I couldn't call in, I guess due to "technical difficulties", I opted for a slightly wider audience via this letter. Having actually been at the rally along with about 1,000 other Bermudians of all walks of life, black and white, I can say that there was much more diversity in the crowd than what the spin masters are letting on.

While I agree that I would like to see even more black Bermudians next time as well as my fellow younger Bermudians, don't be swayed by tinfoil hat theories that this is a racial or politically driven rally; this is about one man; as Mr. Zane DeSilva so aptly, if not obviously pointed out in today's Royal Gazette. This is about our current Premier Dr. Ewart Brown stepping down and allowing someone else take the reigns of Leader who actually has Bermuda and all her people's best interest at heart.

A quick note to Thaao Dill; a learned DJ who ironically keeps missing the plot. In your attempts to demonise the crowd you clearly stated that "blacks love a rally and will show up for one regardless", you either missed, or dismissed, the fairly obvious point that there were only 50 people there to defend Dr. Brown. If that doesn't speak volumes, I don't know what does.

My fellow Bermudians of all walks: Come to the next rally and let your voices be heard.

SEAN SOARES

Southampton

Theatrical nonsense

June 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

The advantage of spending a large amount of one's time off Island is the privilege of being spared the immediacy of the Premier's political brinkmanship with our Governor, and by extension the UK Government. Absence also enhances perspective.

Anyone who really believes our Premier has adopted (in our name, and without asking us) the four Guantánamo Bay prisoners on purely on humanitarian grounds should probably head straight for MAWI … or do I mean PALAU-I...?

In today's Royal Gazette, Dale Butler, Minister for Social Rehabilitation, informs us the planned overhaul of the Salvation Army's homeless shelter promised in the 2005 Throne Speech, has been delayed due to a lack of funds!

How much more arrogant, self-serving, theatrical nonsense must one accept from Dr. Brown before he has punished us enough for preferring the protective UK hand on the tiller instead of his bellicose fist?

Ironic, is it not, that Dr. Brown has spent a small fortune on building fortress-like security around his home to rival that of Guantánamo Bay? Would that be because his people love him and his selfless, humanitarian style of government? (LaVerne doesn't count.)

As much as I feel sorry for the displaced Uighurs, who got caught up in G.W. Bush's dragnet, it is indeed for the USA to correct that. Currently Bermuda has enough with which to contend. However it is also highly improbable, all four men left family, home, language and customs in their remote Turkic-Chinese province to cross into an inhospitable part of Afghanistan on a nature expedition to collect rare flowers for drying and pressing in their Korans. One last rather touchy matter: does anyone really believe all of this went down without Gregory S's help?

THIRD TURTLE INN

St. David's

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