Give emergency services GPS

January 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

Sam Strangeways' story "Ambulance driver tells inquest: 'I did my best'" touched me. Surely when we see our loved ones needing medical help urgently we expect those (ie 911 and EMT) who can provide it to be there as soon as humanly possible. My condolences go out to Norman Palmer's family. I was bothered by Aleston Armstrong's statement when he told the hearing that "he had no idea where Leafy Way, Paget, was".

A few days earlier I was reading in The Royal Gazette about taxi drivers expressing anger and frustration over what seems to be a forced implementation of GPS systems. There seems to be arguments for (the Government/tourism portfolio) and against (the taxi drivers) this system being in place. Assuming that the GPS system in Bermuda works the way it is supposed to, do ambulance drivers have GPS systems installed in their vehicles? If the ambulance driver didn't know where Leafy Way was, wouldn't a GPS system have helped in this case? What about the 911 operators who were supposed to be guiding the driver?

Should GPS systems be made mandatory for EMT services first (government) before it is forced on the private sector? If the Government thinks it is so great why didn't they roll out the technology first and test/use it for themselves? Not just in ambulance vehicles and for 911 operators, but how about vehicles for Police and Fire and other essential Government services? Maybe then the Government can truly empathise with the taxi drivers, who I'm sure are not making it up when they complain the system is too expensive, inefficient, unnecessary or whatever.

SC

City of Hamilton

Solutions for his country

January 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

What seems to be an economic tsunami has devastated the confidence of hardworking, middle-class Americans. The war in Iraq which many Americans feel was unnecessary to begin with is dragging on too long. At a time of economic and social challenge, the candidate with the intellect, spirit and judgment to lead the US to a better place has officially been sworn in as US President. Barack Obama.

Barack Obama has become the 44th President of the United States because he was the most appealing agent for change in his country. While Obama is "young", the fact is he is also brilliant. Whether we are American or Bermudian, many in the global community feel the need for the leader of the free world to think things through, carefully. American citizens have seen the sorry results of impulsive decisions for solving the problems of terrorism by looking for "weapons of mass destruction" that to date still have not been found.

As our friends over in the US stagger from one financial or energy crisis to the next, American taxpayers will remain burdened with the cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This war costs approximately $12 billion a month.

Consider the banking and financial dilemma. Neither Obama nor his opponent, Sen. John McCain, offered a perfect solution. But I remind you again Obama was the more alluring agent for change in his country. The truth is Obama offered a more rational approach months ago when he called for regulating investment banks, mortgage brokers and hedge funds and reform overlying regulatory agencies. In actuality what he did was something at times I wish we here in Bermuda could take note of; he offered solutions that he thought would be the best solutions for the citizens of his country not his race.

Many Americans felt their country was on the wrong track. What has happened is that typical, middle-class citizens have lost confidence in what we hear of all the time as the "American Dream" – that if they work hard, they can improve their lives, afford to send their kids to college and not be thrown out of their homes.

American optimism has been wrecked by President George Bush and a previous Republican Congress. If you want change, you do not keep what is essentially the same team in power. You try something different. You vote for the stronger teams, Obama and Sen. Joseph Biden, a smart and steady hand on foreign policy and other matters.

The Good Ship America is listing in turbulent waters. Sinking mortgage and banking institutions are wreaking havoc in America and here in Bermuda quite possibly whether we want to admit it or not. Obama understood this better than McCain and made clear he would do more to correct it. Obama's assistance to the middle class in the form of tax cuts and college-tuition breaks is a key reason Americans have chosen him as their 44th president.

Many Americans cast their vote on this one issue alone. Past performance is the best indicator of future conduct. Obama opposed and still opposes the war, McCain supported it.

Obama has a plan for moving the troops out; McCain sought "victory", whatever that actually means when your country is spending $12 billion a month on a war and unemployment numbers are on the rise. The net effect will be more time and money wasted in a country that did not participate in the terrorist attacks of September 11.

On several other issues, from media consolidation to health care, Obama appealed more to the citizens of his country than his opponent. He makes up for a "thin" résumé with integrity, judgment and new ideas. Obama can get America moving forward again; at least that is what his citizens believe as they voted him the forty fourth president of the United States.

COLE C. SIMMONS

City of Hamilton

A wondrous invention

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

With all the publicity that is currently being given to those of us who have the privilege of operating motorised vehicles on our roads, whether they be automobiles or bikes, one would believe that they all should be fitted with indicators at the time of purchase. What with the price one has to pay when making a purchase.

Perhaps all motorised vehicles do come with indicators already installed and that for whatever reason the salesperson does not show or inform the buyer that this wondrous device is installed for safety purposes and is included in the purchase price If you have already checked for and found this wondrous device, "great". If not, I would recommend that you return to the dealership from which your purchase was made and ask them to show you where the indicator switch is on your vehicle, and should they not be able to find it, you should ask them to install one as you have already paid for it.

I can only imagine the frustration that some road users must feel when they come to a roundabout, or have the need to change direction that they have no way of informing their fellow road users of their intention to turn either left or right. This must be very frustrating to those persons who believe in the safe and courteous use for all while on our roads. I am sure that the hard working members of the Bermuda Road Safety Council, will be more than pleased to know that as part of being a safe and courteous road user, we are all now using indicators at the appropriate times.

KENNETH G. STONE.

Warwick

More complex than that

January 19, 2008

Dear Sir,

In response to Senator Michael Fahy's article about graduated licensing, I must state some of the reasons that this policy has not been introduced before. I have been teaching youths to ride since the 1970s and for $100 per student for a riding course in 2009 that maybe takes 20 hours per course presently, with preparation, theory, testing and waiting for test dates to become available, there is a shortage of Project Ride instructors.

The stress involved in teaching students to ride and the hassle involved in the testing process is certainly not a picnic. Graduated licensing would entail a lot more instruction of instructors, on road riding with students on our roads, and I have done it in the UK, would be absolutely perilous on our roads as they are presently. Whilst I agree it is required there are other more important issues that need to be addressed before this happens, a general crackdown on motorcyclists noise regulations, queue jumping has to stop, careless overtaking has to be eliminated, "drivers ed" implemented, the massive construction trucks taken off the roads, using the "third lane as a right of passage" needs to be eliminated, and the penalties should be harsh.

If Mr. Fahy thinks that any instructor is capable of safely taking students on the road for training he has another thing coming, it would amount to suicide under the present conditions and as experienced as I am there is no way I would take students "on the roads". Who will train the instructors? Who will the instructors be? Who will test these students because the present system does not work efficiently, it is easy to talk the talk but if he is so keen he should be joining the instructors and see what they actually have to do presently.

It is far more complex than you make it sound Mr. Fahy, speed cameras are not the answer for speeders, they don't care, policing is the answer, stop speeders and impose harsh penalties plus "drivers ed", to re-license retest them from the beginning. The culture has gone too deep, the bad driving habits are too common, a total re-education is required, and do you think that is viable practical and more importantly politically viable?

To be perfectly honest the instructors I know are thinking of giving it up because we are teaching students to set them loose on roads that are anarchy, little or no policing and we do feel responsible for those students. There has to be a political will, and a practical solution to this problem without it becoming public harassment to law abiding road users. It certainly should not become a method of raising funds for the coffers, taking valuable court time – graduated licensing is a long way away and impractical in the anarchy on the roads.

CVP

Flatts

How many more?

January 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

Did you know that in the past year there have been approximately 17 to 18 road fatalities in Bermuda? The New Year has just begun and we have already had a road fatality recorded for 2009. Get serious! How many people have to die on our roads before we address this dilemma? We as the next generation have a voice and would like to express our thoughts about this reoccurring predicament. Motorists need to understand that when they are carelessly riding, they are not only putting their lives in jeopardy, but also placing others at risk. You are not invincible; slow down and pay attention. If motorists do not begin to operate their vehicles more cautiously, they will continue to leave many families heart-broken and sad due to their reckless behaviour.

Bermuda has a serious problem on its hands, but we have some practical solutions to decrease the staggering number of deaths that have recently occurred on our roads. Here are six ideas that we have discussed in our English class and would like to recommend to the Bermuda Government:

1) Increase the age limit for obtaining a licence

2) Increase Police presence on a continual basis

3) Strategically place more cameras throughout our island

4) Make the licensure process more rigorous

5) Install street lights in secluded areas

6) Install more mirrors in areas known to have blind spots

Our class feels that these recommendations will aid to make Bermuda's roads safer for motorists and will diminish the recent surge of unfortunate road accidents. We must all be mindful of this problem because this issue affects everyone in our community. Our youth are the future of Bermuda; therefore, we do not want a repeat of last year. We want our loved ones to be with us and no longer want to lose our family members, and friends because of this issue. Remember motorists, before you operate your motor vehicles think of other motorists on the road and ride cautiously – "Lose your speed and not your life." From Children who Care ...

M2 (SUMATRANS)

T.N. Tatem Middle School

Clearly not successful

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

Sir John Swan has reportedly said (Royal Gazette, January 15) that "they (the white Community) do not know what the hell to do" about the race issue. Personally I do not believe that the entire white Community is so stupid – or so ill informed, even if they have totally ignored the black Community, or been totally indifferent to the humiliation and pain which they have inflicted on us, as a black Community, until former Premier Alex Scott raised the issue of Independence. Nevertheless, if that is so, let me make several very simple suggestions as to what they might do:

1. They might verbally acknowledge that it was the white Community that imposed the racial divide because they professed to believe that Blacks were genetically inferior. They have maintained it and resisted any change.

2. They might stop pretending that the current Premier is responsible for the racial divide even if he, as a politician, makes political capital of a situation which they have maintained – no matter how evil they think he is, or that he may actually be!

3. White people of my generation, and those of a slightly younger generation, need to teach the younger generations, and those expatriate whom they introduce to Bermuda and indoctrinate, the reason that black people of my generation were forbidden to play on the Government's Tennis Courts and were prevented from being served in many places in Hamilton. They need to teach them why there is such a marked economic disparity between the black and white Communities, Including the Ads which read "only Whites need apply" and why there was a Theatre Boycott.

None of this requires legislation or funds.

Sir John also reportedly said that he did not discuss the race issue when he was Premier because he did not wish to contribute to the racial divide. This approach was clearly not successful nor positive since we are still deeply divided and the black Community continues to be at the economic disadvantage that slavery and segregation were intended to ensure. If he, as Premier and both a friend and representative of the white Community, had told them what they needed to do, the PLP politicians might not have, currently, the racial divide out of which to make political capital.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

No tiny footprint

January 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

In Saturday's January 17 Royal Gazette, Belcario Thomas was quoted as stating, in defence of his beach bar plan on Warwick Long Bay, that it would be a "tiny footprint in the sand". How can an over 2,000 square foot structure which will require the removal of a substantial part of a stand of native Tassell Plant which has taken hundreds of years to establish itself, be a tiny footprint? Mr. Thomas, we stood together on the beach last week and you showed me exactly where the structure is planned and you agreed that Tassel plant should not be affected. In order for this stand of dune-stabilising shrubs not to be affected, the structure would have to be reduced from 2000 square feet to about 400 square feet. This is all the sand area available between the tarmac and where the native vegetation begins.

This 400 square foot area would be for the structure alone. In addition, building sites while under construction require many more square footage to allow equipment and workers to manoeuvre. Then there is the planned mobile kitchen, porta potties and dumpsters and their effluvia that will require service equipment. A tiny footprint? I think not. The Parks Department did a great job of designing a parking area for cars and bikes with a turnaround circle. There are only nine car parking bays and a few spaces without hard surface in the parking area. Will more land be required to expand the parking area to accommodate more visitors and more service vehicles?

Also, Mr. Thomas claims that he recognises "the tranquil spirit of Warwick Long Bay". Does he believe that his personal choice of music, which he has been given permission to be audible to 100 metres (size of a football field), would enhance that tranquillity? An educational role is the domain of the Parks Department. So far they have wisely only placed signage to identify the beach, indicate that the turnaround area is not for parking and periodic warning signs. The Conservation Department and the Parks Department have in the past conducted guided tours, perhaps there is a need for them to be revived and a schedule published.

FRANCES EDDY

Warwick