No need for speed

November 22, 2010

Dear Sir,

Despite how people may feel about the article in today's paper, I strongly agree with the message.

Also, some level of criticism has to go to TCD as well. How so? Well for one, how do you allow cars with souped-up engines, cars with two twin mufflers and bikes that are way too fast to be on Bermuda's 22 square mile of roads?

Don't you think it's insane, knowing most of those vehicles need to blow out the engine once in a while? Meaning, they're going to need a straight stretch. (The only one I can think of is past Stonecrusher corner in Ferry Reach). To think that each of these souped-up cars or bikes would travel to this area once a week sounds ludicrous but,as fast as a Hyundai Tiburon is supposed to be overseas, the women who drive them here are in for a shock (they're meant for open roads, highways, freeways and areas like that, not small twisting corners). So why the big thrill? Style, speed, and even more style.

What's the point? If one of these cars ends up in an accident, suddenly you're supposed to feel sorry for that individual. OK, it's messed up how he/she got into the accident but if they didn't rely so much on speeding all the time, couldn't their lives be spared more?

I'm not saying don't feel sorry for people who have lost their lives, but if a guy plans to speed and he floors it and spanks a tree going close to 90 mph, are you really going to feel sorry for him?

Seriously, with so many road fatalities, is it worth buying a fast car or a fast bike, having your car souped up, having extra mufflers added to your car so it'll run faster just for these small roads? Time to ask yourself: "Do I love my vehicles more than life, or is my life way more precious? Therefore, maybe allowing these modifications to be added probably wasn't such a good idea?"

SPEED KILLS

Devonshire

No service at all

November 21, 2010

Dear Sir,

Do not use the Post Office's International Data Express Service.

For the princely sum of $25 for a letter, you will receive the Postal Service's unqualified commitment that your document might be tracked and might actually be delivered ... but no guarantees. If, a full week after you handed your valuable document to them for safekeeping, the on-line tracking system tells you that it has gotten no further than the Bermuda Airport, a postal clerk will tell you that their undisclosed (and inaccessible) source tells them that it has actually been sent on to JFK ... at which point they no longer have any control over or responsibility for it.

Really? Just do not use this "service".

CRIS VALDES-DAPENA

Warwick

Stopping the bickering

November 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

It would seem that Madame Cox, our new appointed Premier has played a very clever game. Her ultimate aim was the Premiership, which she has achieved.

In my opinion, she had to sell her soul to the Devil and bide her time.

Could she have acquired the prize otherwise? I doubt it, for if she had gone "against the house", so to speak, she would have been replaced with a more acquiescent body and she knew that, so she kept quiet and went along with what she had to do. Not admirable but politically smart.

She must now redeem herself, for there is a lot to answer for, and the people's trust must be won back, by deeds and not by gobbledy goop evasive rhetoric, which never quite answers the question!

She is her father's daughter, and being the wonderful man that he was, will have instilled in her all the decent and honest virtues that he valued most.

So we should all close ranks and support her and her Cabinet, as she has inherited a mammoth task which will take a mammoth response from us all.

It is about time we stopped the bickering between the parties and got down to what is good for Bermuda and the Bermudian people.

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

Do what is right

November 20, 2010

Dear Sir,

I'm writing to protest the behaviour of the Bermuda College in its response to the arbitration panel's decision regarding Dr Sean O'Connell.

The arbitration panel ruled that Dr O'Connell was wrongfully dismissed. It is therefore the College's responsibility to make restitution to Dr O'Connell for the four years of employment wrongfully taken from him.

The then-President of the College, Dr Michael Orenduff, returned to give testimony to the arbitration panel, and the panel found that he had been "disingenuous" in his communications with the College Board and the College faculty by saying there was another witness who had substantiated the conversation in question.

Why is the College not accepting the arbitrators' decision and doing the right thing? The arbitrators were very clear that the College has damaged the life and career of Dr. O'Connell and so I'm appalled that the College is needlessly delaying justice.

You are to be commended for sending this travesty of justice to arbitration, and I now call on you to quickly end this ridiculous stalemate.

ROBERT KEILL

Smith's

Without the parties

November 18, 2011

Dear Sir,

I appreciate the comments made by former Senator Walton Brown (Royal Gazette November 17, 2010) since I am one of those who is very aware of the damage done to the black community as a result of forming political parties.

I agree with him that it seems very futile to call for the elimination of political parties since they are in the interest of the "political elite" and the politicians, even though it is to the detriment of the general public. It is particularly true because black politics are both racial and personal, without any serious philosophical or ideological foundation.

From the outset, blacks have seen the PLP as the black party and given their support for that reason. But the founders of the party were very deliberate in not addressing the racial divide. All of their early rhetoric was about socialism and labour. But black Bermudians are far too "capitalistic" for there to ever be even any serious discussion about socialism. I do not have to make the case for the fact that its commitment to labour has been, to all intents and purposes, sporadic at best.

The last four years merely underscored that the kingmakers in the PLP could care less about the "labour philosophy" of its founders. If it were not so the media would not be contending that the new Premier is "reaching out to the working class". Apparently the former leaders were not reaching out to the working class!! Clearly the PLP have used both blacks and "the working class" to gain votes while governing with their concerns about the wealthy international business being more evident.

Before party politics blacks came together with one thought in mind: Improve the conditions of the black community. We have had party politics for all of 50 years, but we had another form of Government for 350 years. So how to govern without party politics is no great mystery. The great difference is this: The entire black community were united in wishing to get rid of the white oligarchy, while today many blacks support the current black oligarchy and justify it because the concept comes out of Britain.

I may not expect change, but I believe that there is value in a society that professes democracy to raise these issues in the hope that more people will at least think about the way we govern ourselves rather than assuming that the few who are politicians have all the wisdom. We know that for 350 years, those who benefitted most governed themselves without party politics. I believe that blacks would benefit themselves far more today if they governed themselves without political parties. Quite apart from the damage that party politics have done us, when we look at the result of partisan politics in the USA and the resulting inability to govern, we should realise that it is time for us to at least think about another way to govern ourselves!

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Loss of golf course

This letter was sent to Brian Kunz, senior membership consultant of the St. George's Club and copied to The Royal Gazette.

November 22, 2010

Dear Mr Kunz,

I have been coming to Bermuda at least once every year since the early 1970s. When the concept of timeshare units became legal, I immediately signed on for one. I later extended and upgraded same. The fact that I have friends in Bermuda such as Victor and Roger Parris and Stanley Bradshaw to play golf and socialise with enhanced my love for the Island. In fact, my latest unit selection was for my other love; golf. Unit #60 is adjacent to the second tee and my view was down the magnificent fairway of the sixth hole of the St. George's Club.

Last year I saw the elimination of the club with the "promise" of better things to come. This year I see it is still closed. As an owner of a golf course, I cannot imagine the thought process, if any, which went into this abomination. I therefore spoke to as many Bermudians as I could last week. The supposed reasoning behind same escaped every single person I spoke with. I was astonished to see that the very useable clubhouse was torn down. Jobs were obviously lost and a beautiful, well-designed course was left in ruins. Now, myself, my wife and my guests have to pay not only high greens fees but over $100 per day to get to courses other than the one at my doorstep.

In all government, decisions are sometimes made in a vacuum without a proper and thorough review of the facts. As a five-term Legislator in my own State of New Jersey, I understand that things can result that were not intentional. However, the destruction of a beautiful facility and course with an end product being loss of jobs and tourism, could not have been planned, I hope. Being a politician in remission, I did note that the Opposition Leader was the former golf professional at St. George's. I trust that was a coincidence.

First, I believe the ownership of St. George's Club must inquire immediately as to if there are plans for the course or not. I believe I will not be the only one feeling taken and that all members should be told of the plans, if any.

Second, I would ask the elected officials to please tell all what the future holds. If the tax-avoiding re-insurers are their only real interest, as the newspaper seemingly implied, we the visitors who have loved Bermuda for itself and its citizens, should be told to visit elsewhere.

DENNIS RILEY

Laurel Springs, New Jersey