Rev. Sharpton's mistakes

June 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

Rev. Al Sharpton made two incorrect statements during his recent visit. He praised the actions of this Government. It was not an action by the Government but the actions of one would-be dictator, and Sharpton also referred to Bermuda as a nation. That is also incorrect. We are not a nation.

Looking at Rev. Sharpton, I would urge him to see a doctor as he appears to be ill. Perhaps the man at his elbow might exercise some of his "humanitarian" ways in Sharpton's direction and urge him to return to the US to see a doctor.

The people who voted against ousting Brown have lost the respect of any intelligent voter, but then that is what the problem is in Bermuda.

I am deeply disappointed in the parliament but surprised and delighted that Dale Butler had the courage to stand up for his principles.

OUTRAGED

Pembroke

This will not pass

June 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

Well Mr. Editor, we have a candidate for the next Heroes' Day, ironic though it may be: The Hon. Dale Butler.

A man of integrity, he showed it in spades this morning with his Cabinet resignation. Indeed, the Cabinet should have resigned en masse at the outset.

The fact it didn't happen, coupled with the majority vote to retain Ewart Brown as Premier, smacks of insecurity. A fear that the Government would topple? Um um, in democracies, leaders have been replaced since time in memoriam, leaving governments intact. If it's a fear of no one else capable of taking the helm – well, that's a concern all Bermudians should have!

Most appeared to base their vote on the assumption that Government would fall, but I was particularly astonished with Wayne Furbert, who said he was answerable to his constituents, revealed most wanted the Premier "to go" – then defied that mandate.

I expected rants against Britain but not Walter Roban's snide referral to our Constitution as "seemingly sacred". Disgraceful, but no one called him out on that. Maybe it's because he says "seemingly" in every sentence and the comment fell on deaf ears.

Ultimately, the vote to save Ewart Brown as leader of the Party, "at least for now" as Wayne Furbert repeated several times, sends a clear and unforgivable message that there are no consequences for wrong-doing. This too, Mr. Premier, will not pass.

PAMELA H. WILLCOCKS

Smith's

Abiding by Constitution

June 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

"The PLP has a Constitution which is our governing document, and we will govern ourselves by the rule of law and the road map is clear as to the template to be followed for any change in party leadership, irrespective of any censure motion."

This is from The Royal Gazette, June 19, 2009, as having been said by Deputy Premier Paula Cox.

Such a shame the Premier doesn't abide by the rules of the Country's constitution.

DISGUSTED

St. George's

Is this the end?

June 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

Where does Government go from here?

It is difficult to argue that the vote of 22 to 11 has brought this whole sorry issue to an end. The Premier is safe for now, thanks to his loyal MPs. But, is the issue at an end?

As was said in the recent debate, the Premier's actions have, by vicarious liability, committed each and every member of the Government to support his decision.

I truly hope that the Government Ministers can carry that responsibility well because if – and I say stress 'if' – the Chinese Government demand repatriation of the four, then the Government will have a problem. By extension, the people of Bermuda will have a problem too.

If that happens, what will the Premier say and do? Perhaps he and his 21 followers will say … "Oh, that's an issue that the British Government is responsible for?" "Nothing to do with us…we have no responsibility for foreign affairs. You deal with it UK."

Or, perhaps the Premier will telephone the President of the United States and say: "Good morning Mr. President … you know how we helped you out recently with taking those four people you didn't want … well, I now have a problem with the Chinese Government as a result."

I suspect most of us can imagine what the President of the US will say to our Premier.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for the good of us all, that this matter is concluded. Knowing (just a little) of how these things can pan out, I have an awful feeling I may be wrong.

SMITH'S

Audacity is appalling

June 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

I left Bermuda in 1965 to reside in the United States. I have visited Bermuda many times since and over the years have seen many changes, some good and some questionable.

Bermuda is a place loved and visited by many, over and over again. So many Americans I have met have praised the beauty and people of Bermuda.

I believe your Premier has made a grave mistake in allowing these former detainees from Guantanamo Bay into Bermuda.

The US has released them, under our present administration and does not feel safe with them here, so let's pack them off to a luxury island such as Bermuda. The audacity of this Premier is appalling.

From the tone of the letters from the United States and other countries, Bermuda's tourism is headed for serious trouble.

Our President and his Administration feel they should be free, that they are no threat to this country, so why won't they keep them here, clothe them, feed them, house them, etc. This Administration should be ashamed of itself.

SHEILA (ROBERTS) MODAS

Florida

Premier was correct

June 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful islands for the first time. While there, I discovered that there was actually some opposition to the humanitarian gesture that your Premier has made in resettling four young men who have been severely mistreated by the leaders of my country, all ethnic Uighurs from China.

I have taken a personal interest in this matter because the family that bought the foreclosed-upon house across my street a few months ago are Uighurs. They are first class folks in every respect. I have learned from them about the plight of their people. Those who were rounded up and turned over to the US military for a bounty were only in search of allies against the Communist Chinese. They were on their quest among the same Muslim people who were US allies against the Soviet Union's Communists only a few short years ago. Granting them a place to live is the least that should be done for them. They should be paid reparations for the great injustice that they have suffered at our hands.

If you want to get some idea of the plight of the Uighurs, just search "East Turkestan resistance" on the Internet. You will find passages like the following: "For more than half a century, the people of East Turkestan – known generally as the Uighurs, although there are also ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Kazakhs there – have been brutally persecuted. Mosques have been razed to the ground. Political prisoners have been shot – after show trials in which they are branded as terrorists. In a pattern Tibet watchers will find all too familiar, the Communists have sent wave upon wave of Han Chinese to East Turkestan to reduce the Uighur majority there (this has been so successful the Uighurs are soon to become a minority in their own land, if they aren't already)…."

There is a substantial Uighur community in Northern Virginia willing to take in all the Uighur detainees from Guantánamo and to offer them support. My neighbour is a leader among them. Sadly, my Congressman, Frank Wolf, led the opposition to their resettlement here. I am truly ashamed to have him as my Representative. He certainly does not represent me.

If this courageous decision is typical of the ones that Ewart Brown makes, then I say that you should be very proud to have him as your elected leader.

GARY MARTIN

Chantilly, Virginia

Shame on the others

June 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

It is a sad day for Bermuda and a sad day for PLP supporters.

The no confidence motion put forward by the UBP was clearly aimed at the Premier and not an effort to oust the PLP Government. Had the motion passed the Governor could, having consulted various PLP Government Ministers for their advice, have been empowered to ask another member of the PLP (most probably the Hon. Paula Cox) to form a Government.

The only Cabinet Minister to come out of this with any credibility is Dale Butler. He stood firm with his Party in the vote but then resigned his post

If the other members of the Cabinet had followed him and resigned, the Premier would have been unable to form a new Cabinet and would have had to advise the Governor accordingly. The Governor would then have sounded out the previous Cabinet members for their input and someone else (again most probably The Hon. Paula Cox) would have been asked to form a new Cabinet.

So why on earth didn't other PLP Cabinet members take the initiative and act responsibly? By not acting responsibly they too have forfeited our trust.

ANNE PEARSON

Hamilton Parish

Healing to be done

June 20, 2009

Dear Sir

I am sorry to hear of the fear that Tuesday's protest instilled in the PLP MPs who were present. There was at the protest a lot of frustration by many white people and others.

I was in attendance but did leave early so did not witness anything other than a peaceful attendance at House of Parliament, but feel things did get a bit heated at the Cabinet Office. Did the crowd perceive the Premier to be arrogant? Was it the blatant amused expression the Premier, his wife and Marc Bean wore during the entirety of Janice Battersbee's speech that evoked anger?

I don't know – perhaps a combination of many things. However, having witnessed many a BIU protest, I would certainly consider this one mild. Perhaps it's the old "shoe on the other foot" metaphor that applies to us all.

The Premier has done many good things for the Island, one of which is opening the race dialogue which has been facilitated by different groups and professionals. As a white Bermudian, I have found this to be enlightening because, yes, the conditionings of my family and previous Governments have swept that vital part of our history under the mat and that is what is very evident here. There is a lot of misunderstanding. There is a lot of hurt and pain. There is a lot of healing to be done.

Each one of us – black or white – has a responsibility to ourselves, to each other, to this country, to face this issue and to understand the power of the past and its effect on the present and the future. To say, "I had nothing to do with the past", is ignorant as we have to acknowledge the sins of our fathers and how that affects us now. Then, we have to heal and not let the burdens of the past weigh us down to the point that our heart is heavy and our vision is clouded.

Each one of us – no matter the colour of our skin – has suffered the cruelty of others. It is the human condition. It is how we overcome our pain and suffering that we grow and transform and in so doing hopefully make the world a better place.

HOPE FOR UNITY

Smith's

Hold US accountable

June 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

So Rev. Sharpton indicated he was not in Bermuda to discuss his views on American politics. However, as an outsider and an American he felt free to discuss politics in Bermuda. It is clear his visit was an attempt to legitimise the Premier's actions over the detainees and to divert attention away from the crux of the matter.

This is not a question of charity and preserving human dignity as Sharpton suggests. Bermudians as a rule are very charity conscious. Most local churches have mission funds to support the needy overseas. Most decent folk respect the gift of life and freedom we have in Bermuda. Most all of us agree with Al Seymour, "the four men are not the (main) issue, and no bitterness is directed towards them". It is the secret, autocratic decision making that has people upset. We feel our rights to live in a democratic country are under threat.

A dictatorial style of rule will always blame others for any problems, eg The Royal Gazette or the UBP is to blame for this fuss according to Dr. Brown in his "apology". As children our apologies were not acceptable if we tried to blame others! We were not really saying: "I am sorry and this won't happen again."

So typical also of this style of government is the attempt justify one's actions by pointing out the alleged deficiencies suffered because Bermuda is a colony. (Monday's news that Bermuda has trouble repatriating prisoners because of its colonial status). I am certain this is common in most countries where the crime is committed and the person is sentenced is usually where the prison time is served.

Imagine the threat to our democracy under Independence without any checks and balances in place. We are not ready for Independence until we can take responsibility to be democratic, to treat all Bermudians as equal – black. white, Portuguese or other, rich and poor, christian and moslem, etc. No one is more special – no, not even Premier Brown. Those given great power must also provide great accountability.

Read George Orwell's book "Animal Farm" and be mindful – Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

I also found it very revealing that "a large tank was found that the US never told Bermuda about before they left the base" This is the American style that Premier Brown endorses – "we couldn't tell you", "we had to deceive you". All the hidden agendas. It is all of us Bermudians who suffers because our country is left to clean up the messes of others.

America needs to take responsibility for its actions and be held accountable. The "Famous Four" could have been given new identities in the US. My apologies to the four in question but something is very rotten here – there has to be a reason the US did not extend welcome to them.

Enough is enough!

GEORGE ORWELL FAN

City of Hamilton

No consequences

June 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

Today is a very sad day in Bermuda. Democracy has failed as MPs voted PLP Party and friend, overlooking their constituents and the good of this country.

I'm sure criminals will now feel they are entitled to continued liberties when they break the law, because that's what the Premier did. In my opinion, he broke the highest law of the country – the Constitution, and quite frankly should be arrested and charged. Ignorance is no defence under the law. This doesn't just apply to common folk, it applies to Government officials as well. If Government officials don't know the law of the land, they should not be serving this country.

All the Premier has received is a slap on the wrist, as he told people he would, in his arrogant manner.

Once you've lived as long as I have, you realise that people don't change. In his normal style of leadership, he will now be looking to strike out at those who have opposed him in this situation. This is the reason why so many blacks stayed away from the rally. It had nothing to do with their support of him.

I and others have always suspected there were those in the PLP that were motivated by something other than the good of the country and their constituents, and it is certainly not only the PLP Party. Corruption at the highest levels.

I'm most disappointed in Paula Cox as I've always felt she was/is one of the only ones in the party with the integrity and ethics to steer the Party in the right direction.

This was obviously short sighted of me. She has lost a lot of credibility over the course of Premier Brown's tenure. At the end of the day, the PLP will lose the next election unless they decide to oust Premier Brown. The Bermudian people will never respect this man again.

BLACK PLP VOTER

St. George's

It's a Brown thing

June 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

In answer to the now rather tired race card being played yet again, this time over the recent protests:

"This is not a black and white thing. This is a Brown thing."

TECHNICOLOUR GLASSES

City of Hamilton

A new party

June 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

Your editorial of June 23 is indicative of the prevailing view that the United Bermuda Party actually exists in any meaningful form. Other than 13 MPs and three Senators, only a handful (and I do mean a handful) of members are actually active in the Party. And when I say "active" I really mean "talking" and/or "expressing an opinion".

Supporters of what was once a very proud party, simply tell the party what "they" should do; what "they" shouldn't do; and what "they" can't do. The so-called supporters do not support their Party by actions; not by funding; and not by getting involved. The supporters simply stand apart and tell this vague (and very small) group what to do pretending that it's not really them, it's some other body of thought!

Don't get me wrong, that is their privilege but to suggest that this is a viable Opposition or an alternative Government is giving credit where there is none.

What was interesting in the RG of June 23 was a letter suggesting that the leaders of the recent community protests might take a leadership role in the future governance of this country. No, Anne, Janice and Erica, I did not say politics. I said and I mean governance. Politics is simply a game that the current crop of politicians play. You don't need to play that game and nor do we, the people of this country, want you to. What we want is good governance. Fair and competent Government. Integrity. Leadership. Unity.

Davida Morris said it too. A new party. Led by a diverse group of younger people. That's what we need and I absolutely, categorically know that a new Party, with new and honest ideals, will not be a 'third' Party, and neither will it be an Opposition Party. It will be swamped with support, funding and everything else that people, who are hoping for change, are committed to giving. And it will be a Government faster than you can say Ewart Brown!

JUST DO IT

Southampton

This was the last straw

June 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

"… O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive."

Some say this was a quote of Shakespeare and others say it was from the quotes of Sir Walter Scott, but whoever said it, it came to fruition this week. If you deceive people, depending on the recipients (in this case Bermuda), the backlash on the perpetrator can be as serious as that of a deadly spider.

The repercussion of hastily decisions is what has gotten the Premier, The Hon. Dr. Ewart Brown, MP, JP into this mess. Dr. Brown's recent actions are the last straw and have put Bermuda in a negative spotlight globally. This can't be good for our little Island. While I don't condone all the actions of the Premier, some of his ideas have been good and acceptable by the majority of the voters. My opinion of the Premier however, has been on the decline since he and "his team" ousted Dame Jennifer Smith. Know this; I am a supporter of the PLP.

I would add, don't blame US President Obama. I will quote another of Walter Scott's phrases. "I cannot tell how the truth may be; I say the tale as it was said to me."

It was what Dr. Brown told President Obama, and from that information, President Obama congratulated Bermuda. We all know it was a lie, the people of Bermuda did not know. The fact remains that the citizens of USA knew before Bermudians, despite LaVerne Furbert's claim, Bermuda did not know first!

So, here is my suggestion (for what it's worth). The PLP please 'get your caucus together and remove Dr. Brown, before you loose your voting supporters" If you looked at the statistics and what we all saw on TV and the newspapers, the support for the PLP is still strong. I believe that most of the PLP supporters, both black and white did not want to bring down their own party, but would prefer to have Dr. Brown disappear!

All the hoopla this past week is not the people who put the PLP into power! It was obvious they were either the UBP , some other Party or Organisation of supporters. I would go as far as to say that less than one percent of the people that were at the march were PLP supporters. Some are disenchanted but we will not vote UBP. Can they do better? God help us all!

Yes, we may not want to think that this turned out to be a race issue but it certainly looked like it and smelled like it! If we are really honest, we would agree, that this was a well-orchestrated march by certain segments of the community.

My heart goes out to our Chinese guest. If they do not stay here, then where would they end up? Their lives seems to be at the will of all Governments! I do not know what they did or did not do and who is going to believe anything the Bush Administration claims that these men are harmless. Regardless, they are people with feelings and had no say in this fiasco and should not be blamed.

I ask all Bermudians to keep a cool head. Allow the British Government and the Governor of Bermuda to do their investigation, report the findings and then we act!

Let me close with Sir Walter Scott again: "A sound head, an honest heart, and a humble spirit are the three best guides through time and to eternity."

MS G.J. TROTT

Sandys