Keep schools open

January 28, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am shocked at Government's latest threat to close five successful, functioning primary schools. They are obviously hell bent on completing the job of ruining the chances of anyone in the public school system of getting a decent education. This is an outrage, and the question is, what can be done to stop this senseless, erratic behaviour?

Having messed up properly on education, Government is now planning to mess up the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's. Government makes it clear they have no one in their ranks is able to make decisions, and therefore have to spend $800,000 of the people's money to tell them what to do. Millions have been paid out already to consultants; most governing bodies are elected because they are assumed to be able to make their own decisions. These wasted millions should have been spent scouring the world for the best teachers. This is what is really needed to improve our dismal education system.

While I am at it, I would like to point out that the Bermuda flag on Front Street is much too small for the height of the Flagpole. Since the Union Jack has been replaced by our own flag, which is quite right, I am hoping that a larger size is on order.

E. RABEN

Paget

Govt. wants the whole pie

January 26, 2010

Dear Sir,

I attended the public meeting held by the Hamilton Corporation last night and it is obvious the Brown Government has its eye on the Corporation of Hamilton's approximate half a billion dollars worth of assets which includes parks, parking lots and buildings. They know the Hamilton Corporation is a well oiled and evidently, a well administered too, money making machine and so they want a piece of the pie … sorry, correction – they want the whole pie – they want Hamilton and St. George's Corporations and so the urge for complete control, power and greed once again raises its ugly head.

With all of the unnecessary spending this Government has carried out in the past, present and without a doubt will continue into the future if they remain in power, they are looking for ways to grab more money, and this time it's the Corporations' purses they are after. When will the people of Bermuda wake up and smell the stench that is hovering over this island under the current leadership of the PLP? How much more can this Government do before we have to have our passports to travel to Somerset?

Here we are in an economic depression and this Government is going to spend $800,000 for consultants to look into reforming both Corporations when this money could be put into hiring the best consultants to look into our deplorable school system. That $800,000 would be well spent. But hold on, we already did that and the report is sitting somewhere in the Department of Education gathering dust.

It is as clear that the Corporation of Hamilton is doing something right in managing its administrative affairs and now, this botched up, incompetent, scandal ridden Government that has wasted millions upon millions of taxpayer money wants to take the spoils of others the same way they did Jim Butterfield's cement company? This same Government that smuggles four Uighurs into Bermuda under the cover of darkness like some drug dealer or arms smuggler, sits back, sees the success of the Hamilton Corporation, inhales the smell of dollars which seemingly reacts like an aphrodisiac on them – now want to rape the Corporations to control all? This is outright theft and should never happen – and it will only happen if "We Bermudians" let it happen.

This is not even, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul!" This is, "To hell with Paul – We want all"!

Mayor Charles Gosling has asked us to contact Minister Roban, but one must remember that Minister Roban is only doing what he has been told to do. Don't think for one moment that he has a free hand in this operation. He gets his marching orders from the "Big Boss"! Mayor Gosling also said: "If the eight of us are the only ones that make any noise we are going to fail", and he was referring to himself and his team of councillors.

So dear readers, I say it's time we start singing God Save the Queen again! At least when we were singing that we had peace and stability, now all we have is uncertainty and chaos!

PAT FERGUSON

Warwick

What's in a word?

January 29, 2010

Dear Sir,

A man's perception is his truth. That statement can be applied quite appropriately to the two recently stated government positions on the Corporation of Hamilton and the Ministry of Education.

The word used by the government for the Corporation is "reform", we hear "take over".

The word used by the Government for Education is "consolidation", we hear "closures".

There is no intention here to judge the accuracy of the perceptions or misperceptions, whichever they turn out to be in the course of time. Perhaps the most important questions to ask are:

1. Is the Government playing with words; and

2. Why do we disbelieve them on these issues?

I believe that the answer goes back to the first sentence. Our truth is based on how we perceive our leader(s). I guess that says a whole lot, doesn't it?

WORDSMITH

Southampton

There is no tourism plan

January 28, 2010

Dear Sir,

We were saddened to see only a very few visitors in the ghost town of St. George on Wednesday and very disappointed to observe three major restaurants are either closed for good or do not open until April. The George and Dragon Restaurant had a "Yes, we are Open" sign but had a big padlock on the door and White Horse posted a sign, "Closed December 1st – reopen until April 5". Unfortunately Carriage House may never re-open and some stores will remain closed until the new season – if we have one.

Obviously the tourism marketing strategies and the shifting of focus to Dockyard indicate "they" just don't know what they are doing. With no "National Tourism Strategy", how can we expect more? We certainly don't need an expert to tell us Bermuda is in a painful dilemma and the glory years are gone due to the lack of good policies and sound articulate direction.

Coupled with this calamity is the deplorable service from people that most thought the friendliest anywhere on the planet. Quite frankly, some should be retrained or dismissed for their offending surly attitudes.

For example, I walked into a car showroom and the sales person sat at his desk called across the room, "Can I help you?" Remember, this is Bermuda not North America where many sales people work on commission.

"How much is the car?" I asked.

He called out the amount.

"Does it have heated seats?"

"No!"

"Four wheel drive?"

"No just front wheel drive."

OK, that's enough. I walked out the door thinking to myself "I don't need this" as he continued to sit on his posterity and didn't suggest I take a brochure, tell me the different colours, financing arrangements etc. I could write a book about the unacceptable behaviour of some throughout the island but you know that already!

We also note while in Bermuda there was much talk about a broken education system which was blamed on the parents and teachers. Now the "bell tolls" for many businesses on the Island that have allowed their employees to forget the customer and do as they please. Makes us wonder who is in charge.

However, there are also many of our positive experiences to share – these success stories are a result of professional employees who enjoy their work as cashiers, sales people, waitresses/waiters. Are they born with this attitude or work hard to achieve it? This engaging personality type of employee is also due to managers who never stop working alongside their staff. Not an easy responsibility, is it?

TOPPY AND SAUNDRA COWEN

British Columbia