Bermuda's workers

August 30, 2010

Dear Sir,

Please be advised that Bermuda has over the years been an economy that rewards the toil of its workers from all walks of life. You could go out in the morning, come home at the end of the day and have provided for your family. Everything we have is imported and therefore is costly. Clothing, food, medicine, etc. When a man, working for himself, in Bermuda in the construction trade in Bermuda, it usually means that he/she has a diverse set of work skills gained through the knowledge passed down to him through the years of toil in the hot sun,a thorough knowledge of finish work is taught first, then an application is taught, as well as a work ethic ... our building codes are strict and above those of other countries.

When a man works for $45 an hour, it's a low price. The construction worker has an overhead. Legal requirements, you know what they are, don't ya? e.g. hospital levy, employment tax, licensing for the vehicle, insurance for the vehicle, staff or individual, late fees, overdraft, life insurance as it is often a dangerous area of endeavour. I personally have walked a guy off a steel girder six-storey overhead. Social insurance, fuel to and from work, repairs to vehicle and upkeep, painting and repair as we here in Bermuda have to keep our vehicles up to a much higher standard than the other country of which you refer to. Tools and equipment have to be up to standard at all times.

I personally have 30 years practical experience, can operate machinery competently, am licenced to drive a truck as a public servant, can build anything in a timely manner. I have work of a high standard from Natural Arches to Dockyard. I have owned my own company, for several years ... just recently I came home from away. I had the same rude awakening as our illustrious construction worker. I applied at Government jobs, couldn't secure a nest egg-saving labourer's job due to the influx of Canadian, Mexican, etc construction workers here on permit. I'm not happy about it either! Their building codes are inferior, their materials are inferior. You actually have to teach them Bermuda building codes and practices as you go. This can be costly. I understand the need for, say, Canadian doctors and lawyers.

Our culture has always, at least as long as I can remember, given us the ability to save some money. Comparing our wages to that of a country that openly practices indentured slavery, where the common man or woman has to work two jobs, 80 hours a week just to pay for necessities, offered no means to save but every opportunity for credit ... please mate ... I mean really ... If you can't see the difference in culture then go live in the US. You like their wages, go work there!

WILLIAM T. SMITH

P.s. I believe that children needing father figures and guidance have traditionally received such on construction job sites. They are currently disenfranchised from this by foreign blue collar workers in our stead, and please remember Col B., you stand firmly on the shoulders of the Bermudian construction worker!

Later ferry for summer

August 27, 2010

Dear Sir,

We all know the Music Festival and the Love Festival are a waste of taxpayers' money as far as getting visitors, so why not try something to benefit both visitors and locals?

There are many along the Paget and Warwick shoreline who would enjoy taking the ferry to Harbour Nights, have dinner in town and come home around 10 or 11 p.m., but there is nothing after 9 p.m. and Harbour Nights goes on until 10 p.m. Premier Brown took off the late ferry a number of years ago, but now we have Salt Kettle House, Greenbank, Belmont Hills, Newstead and The Wharf. Why not put on a late ferry during Harbour Nights for the remainder of the summer? The street vendors and the restaurants would all benefit.

A few ads in the paper and notices in the tourist accommodations would reach people and aren't we supposed to be looking at things for visitors to do of an evening?

P. KEMPE

Warwick

Why a dead letter?

August 30, 2010

Dear Sir,

I have not written for a long time but this disaster just needs to be dealt with and I hope by bringing it to light something will change at the post office.

I am attaching an envelope which I mailed at the MPO – Main Post Office – to the Endsmeet Animal Hospital in Devonshire.

I have asked several people to read the address and they all confirm it is quite clear.

It was mailed to a P.O. box in Devonshire, had the post code DV BX and yet the Post Office could not figure out what to do with the letter.

You can see from the post marks that it went to Warwick (perhaps they thought of the Ettrick Animal Hospital) and was then designated a dead letter and then opened by the post office and returned to sender.

I know that all of my friends now pay their Belco and Telco bills directly online and many of them also receive Belco bills online. I also believe that all of the cell phone providers charge directly to credit cards, i.e. no bills being sent out. This must result in losses of thousands of dollars of postal revenue and I think it is about time this "I don't care what happens to your mail attitude" is changed.

JUDY HOWELLS

St. David's

Not very clever

August 26, 2010

Dear Sir,

The ad on Page 10 of Thursday's newspaper (August 26) for courses from the American Managment (sic) Association makes one wonder why the Bermuda College would want to become involved with an organisation that can't spell its own name.

MORTY FIDE

Warwick

Disease of gang violence

August 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

Please allow a few words about the recent escalation in gang related violence.

Many express "It's happening all over the world we are no different". This is where I beg to differ. We are a small country of approximately 21 sq. miles. The gangsters don't have as many options as in a large jurisdiction. We have no mountains, vast plains or even jungles in which to hide.

Why can't we get on top of this social disease that is threatening our well being? Let's pull together and rid our Island of this scourge.

If we can't, along with future generations, we all will suffer.

BERMUDA SHOULD BE ANOTHER WORLD

Devonshire