Cheque returned, thanks

April 28, 2009

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank the person who returned a cheque to Capital G on Monday. Thank you! Thank you!

VERY IRRESPONSIBLE

Devonshire

PLP should ask this

May 6, 2009

Dear Sir,

I don't blame Dr. Ewart Brown for his Mugabe style of government here in Bermuda. The blame lies at the door steps of the PLP. They (PLP) should start asking what they can do for Bermuda and not what Bermuda can do for the PLP.

JFK REVISITED

Paget

Plans for the newspapers

May 6, 2009

Dear Sir,

Surely The Royal Gazette is not surprised by the latest autocratic, arrogant and nigh-on dictatorial stance taken toward The Royal Gazette and Mid-Ocean News by the Premier of Bermuda, one Ewart Brown?

The ultimate goal of this Premier and a handful of his cabal is the total breakdown of the above mentioned newspapers and the eventual restructuring of at least one, owned and operated by those that look like, think like and act like (HIM) His Imperial Majesty, Ewart Brown!

That man came back to the Island with vengeance in his heart. He is also a lot more wealthy now then when he arrived back on the Island of Bermuda.

This will come to an end and I do not think it will be pretty.

MIKE PITTS

Florida

Governor's car was okay

May 5, 2009

Dear Sir

As much as your reader might have wanted to take the spotlight off our Premier and how he feels he is above our country's rules and regulations with his use of GP1 on the highways and byways of "his" little nation I would like to point out that the driver of the Governor's car had in fact done nothing illegal. The use of loading zones is for commercial vehicles between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5. p.m. Monday through Friday.

Rather than trying to point the finger and blame someone else, especially as he wasn't even in the car, the Governor showed true class and integrity by writing personally to apologise for what he was incorrectly informed to be an error.

Unfortunately this is not a behaviour our esteemed Leader and his spokesman are familiar with.

THE SPITTAL POND SKINK

Smith's

Traffic Police are missing

April 30, 2009

Dear Sir,

Once again I note with trepidation the migration of the lesser spotted traffic cops who have flown to their desks and offices for the spring. Their natural prey, the inside overtaker, the blind bend passer and the common speeder are multiplying and can be experienced every morning on the race tracks of North and South Roads and especially on one of their favourite haunts, Palmetto Road.

Like Salmon returning to spawn we will see the return of the traffic cop for the annual 'Crackdown' once the death toll rises and the outcry reaches a pitch that cannot be ignored. Until then we all travel in fear.

COLUMBA

Smith's Parish

Lack of public toilets

May 1, 2009

Dear Sir,

The Corporation of Hamilton needs to get proper bathrooms for the public.

They got rid of Number 1 shed bathrooms, Par-la-Ville Park bathrooms, the bathrooms on Union Street closed up.

They are starting concerts in Victoria Park again. There are only two bathrooms each for male and female, but there are only two open, these need to be improved.

The Corporation has even cut back on the time to open the bathrooms at the bus terminal.

People are urgently in need at times. What then?

H.J.W.

Pembroke

Turks & Caicos retraction

May 6, 2009

Dear Sir,

Retraction and apology

You may recall that I recently published on the 22nd April an opinion on what I called, "the constitutional disruption that occurred in The Turks and Caicos Islands by the British Government". While agreeing it was urgently necessary to do something about the situation that prevailed in TCI, I blamed the British Government for the manner in which I thought they went about it. I was wrong.

My main concern was that the democratic process in Turks and Caicos be preserved. I also felt it was not necessary to amend the constitution by order in council because the British Government had the authority to act under the present TCI constitution. However the information that I had received which led me to accuse the British Government of sacking the Premier and others and dissolving Parliament was incorrect.

Our Governor Sir Richard Gozney sent me a very informative letter, graciously written, correcting the inaccuracies that I wrote. I am very grateful to him for taking the time to do so. I have spoken to him subsequently, and asked his permission to publish his letter so that all can see where I went wrong, and at the same time have a better understanding of the approach the British Government is taking to resolve the very difficult and complex issues in Turks and Caicos.

The following is Sir Richard's letter:

"22 April 2009

The Hon. Quinton L. Edness, CBE, JP

Warwick

Dear Quinton (if I may),

I was interested to read your article in The Royal Gazette on 22 April. The situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is indeed sad, regrettable and cause for much concern. You recognise in your article, rightly, that something had to be done following the shocking disclosures that surfaced during the work of the Commission of Inquiry. But I hope that you will not take it amiss if I explain some inaccuracies in your article.

The British Government has not sacked the Premier of the TCI, nor anyone else. Premier Misick was ousted by his former Cabinet colleague, Galmo Williams, who launched a successful bid to replace him as Premier, winning on 28 February an election for the leadership of the PNP. This followed several weeks of turmoil within the PNP, generated in part by disquiet at the evidence given before the Commission of Inquiry.

The TCI House of Assembly has not been dissolved by the Governor. It sat earlier this month for the first time after being prorogued three months earlier by ex-Premier Misick, apparently to avoid the risk of a vote of no confidence in his government.

Unless the Commissioner's final report, now due to be submitted on or before 31 May, significantly changes the current assessment of the situation by the UK government and the Governor, the Order in Council to suspend parts of the Constitution will then be brought into fore shortly after the final report is received. This would not be a shift to indefinite direct rule, rather a targeted intervention lasting no longer than it would take for essential reforms to be implemented.

During the period of the suspension, the Governor would consult with the people of the TCI through the bodies described in the Order in Council which would be established to replace the Cabinet and the House of Assembly.

This action would not be taken lightly and the significance of it is fully appreciated by both the Governor and the UK government; but it is deemed necessary to restore the principles of good governance in the TCI.

I hope we have this chance to meet again soon.

Yours sincerely,

Richard H T Gozney"

I accept Sir Richard's comments to be the true position taken by the British Government which I now regard as sensitive to the preservation of the democratic process and respectful to the people of TCI. I therefore wish to retract the remarks I made about the British Government especially the condemnation of it that I made.

I apologise and wish them every good wish in their efforts to help the people of Turks and Caicos.

THE HONOURABLE QUINTON L.

EDNESS CBE, JP

Warwick

Gala thanks for $420,000

May 7, 2009

Dear Sir,

Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Ed Trippe, chief executive officer of Tucker's Point Hotel and Spa for selecting Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust as the recipient for their charity gala on April 30. The gala was a tremendous success and celebrated the opening of the stunning new Tucker's Point Hotel and Spa with a star-studded evening.

The event raised an impressive $420,000 that will go towards the KEMH Redevelopment Project, a $260 million, five-year plan to develop acute care services that will benefit Bermuda for many years to come. The project will incorporate the renovation of the existing King Edward VII Memorial Hospital as well as the construction of two new patient wings and a new utility plant. The contribution from last week's charity gala is a significant contribution to our fundraising efforts and will go a long way in the realisation of this important development in health care for Bermuda.

In addition to the generosity of our hosts at Tucker's Point, Thursday evening's gala would not have been a success without those who attended and I would like to thank everyone for their support. As always, we are moved by the generosity of the people of Bermuda.

The new Tucker's Point Hotel & Spa is not only a world class resort, but also an important development in Bermuda's tourism industry. We congratulate Tucker's Point Club on their achievement and look forward to celebrating the success of this beautiful resort as they grow and become an important landmark in Bermuda's tourism industry.

PHILIP BUTTERFIELD

Chairman

WENDY AUGUSTUS

Executive Director

Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trus