Time for a fresh start

December 23, 2008

Dear Sir,

As the New Year approaches, many of us are making plans for our 'fresh starts'. I would just like to encourage Bermuda as a whole to also approach 2009 with a new outlook. Our island has had its ups and downs over the past year but its time to leave the past behind and move forward. We have so much to be proud of as Bermudians and I hope that we can learn to appreciate and celebrate our heritage together this year.

This wish is especially relevant as Bermuda will be celebrating its 400th birthday this year. I hope that the media takes this opportunity to focus on Bermuda's pride and joy — our people; to focus on the positive and not the negative. Many of Bermuda's most talented will be showcasing their abilities in the upcoming Bermuda Arts Festival for one. I hope that you, Mr. Editor, take this time to publish the stories of these young people and highlight their accomplishments. And Bermuda, I hope we show them our full support. The same applies for the other quad-centennial events such as the Tall Ship race and much much more. So to all, may the New Year bring you much prosperity and joy. I hope 2009 will be a great year for Bermuda.

BERMUDA SUPPORTER

Devonshire

An insult to trained nurses

December 23, 2008

Dear Sir,

I was hoping today would be the day that I'd read the newspaper online and not be overwhelmed with embarrassment by what I read on your pages. Unfortunately, today was not the day. Today was the day that I read that the government was looking to lower the standard for Bermudian nursing students from four years to two. Really? I obviously missed the memo that said that the government can change a worldwide requirement just by saying so. Bermuda is lacking in local nurses because not enough Bermudians want to become nurses, not because they're not smart enough to pass a four-year course.

So now we now have to make the nursing profession more appealing by granting Bermudians a free pass. I bet when we recruit overseas nurses we'll still require them to have completed four years of training, huh? Do you think that this two year accreditation will get these young men and women nursing jobs anywhere else in the world if they decide to leave Bermuda? I think not.

Well done Mr. Minister, I look forward to returning to the Island one day just so I can be treated by someone who hasn't had enough training. Try making the profession more appealing by doing your best to pay them a little more money for the hard work they do. A four year nursing school at Bermuda College is a brilliant idea – as long as it follows the same curriculum and grade requirements as other accredited nursing colleges/universities overseas. Insulting the trained nurses we already have working at our hospitals and doctors' offices is not a very smart idea. If you continue down this path sir, Bermuda will be known as the Island that employs untrained nurses, and disbarred and bankrupt lawyers. How wonderful.

TPF

Boston, Massachusetts

Truth will prevail

December 19, 2008

Dear Sir

This summer I wrote a letter to the Editor to express to Bermuda that there are Christians that do not believe or agree with Mr. Andre Curtis's handling of Faith-Based Tourism (FBT) nor the Minister of Tourism's answers to the Parliamentary questions concerning FBT. Our stand then and now is for the truth to be publicly known since Mr. Curtis has boldly stated on several occasions that the Lord Jesus Christ had called him to operate FBT. As Christians, it is of the utmost importance to us that our Lord's name not be discredited in any manner; nor do we want the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be frowned upon by unbelievers because of this situation.

In the letter I wrote the following comments: 1. A warning from a Just & Righteous God to those who continue to cover up or withhold the truth: "Be not Deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man (regardless of position or title, Christian or non-Christian) sows that shall he reap. Repent (acknowledge your wrong doing, turn whole heartily away from it and make restitution were needed.) or else suffer the consequences of your actions!" 2. Bermuda rest assure, I am confident of this one fact: In the end, truth will prevail because the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (not the God of Andre Curtis, or politics) will vindicate the integrity of His name in this matter.

Once again Bermuda, be encouraged. Truth will prevail in this situation because Jehovah God will not be mocked and He is clearing His name!

A CHRISTIAN FOR TRUTH

Warwick

In good company

December 21, 2008

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank "Book Worm" for his/her letter of endorsement of me in the Mid Ocean News on Friday, December 19, 2008. To be listed with such eminent Bermudian personalities as the Premier of Bermuda, Dr. Ewart Brown, author and community activist, Dr. Eva Hodgson, former premiers of Bermuda, Dr. David Saul and Sir David Gibbons, business owners Mr. Mike Winfield, Zane DeSilva, MP and Brian O'Hara, lawyers Julian Hall and Llewellyn Peniston is indeed an honour, especially in light of the fact that I'm just an ordinary working class Black woman with no lettered credentials.

LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton Parish

Don't kill off golf tourism

December 25, 2008

Dear Sir,

I have always enjoyed coming to Bermuda, mostly by plane, and Bermuda is a very special place. The times that I played golf appear to be over, as I read this morning of the hikes for a tourist to play golf. I will continue to come to Bermuda, but will leave the clubs at home. Your Government questions where did all the tourists go, and this hike in price to play golf answers that question. The ones that are hurt in this are the senior citizens who must live on a fixed income but still looked forward to hitting the greens with their friends. Government needs to rethink this decision in raising costs to play.

RICHARD H. SMALLEY

Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

Get back on patrol

December 27, 2008

Dear Sir,

If ever there was a time to make a New Year's resolution to put the Police back on their bikes and patrolling the roads ... that time is now! I remember some years back I participated in a study done by the Road Safety Council. I sat on a wall outside Peace Lutheran Church with a clipboard, a pad of paper and a pencil ... and I looked like I was writing things down when cars and bikes came by. I wasn't doing a damn thing ... but when they saw me, they slowed right down ... fear is a wonderful thing! Society works because we have rules and normal standards of behaviour. Sometimes all those rules and norms work because people abide by them voluntarily. If that were always the case, well, we wouldn't need the police. I know plenty of old time policemen and lots of fairly intelligent human beings and all of them will agree that if there were any motorcycle cops (cars are a waste of time and gas) visible and out on the roads, we'd go a long way to solving the problem of speeding, third lanes, overtaking, busting down walls ... and getting killed.

Look, it's a real nice thing to be seen checking peoples documents on East Broadway and holding up traffic on a weekday morning but the problem is on Kindley Field Road, it's on North Shore and South, it's on Harbour Road and going out to Dockyard. It's on every bend in our roads and it's in our bars and restaurants when they let people get blind drunk and then drive. You can drive all over this island and from one end to the other and never see a cop ... except maybe going back to the station. It's time to change this... or many more will be broken and many will die.

Whether it's (Senator David) Burch or the Governor, it really is time to stop spending money on travel and put some back into traffic patrol. With a great deal of sympathy, I suspect, even if many haven't gotten the point, the Commissioner might have.

POLLY SAWYER

Southampton