Is crime any wonder?

February 15, 2007

Dear Sir,

For want of a competitive salary (and benefits), there is a shortage of local recruits for the Bermuda Police Service.

For want of sufficient police recruits, there is a shortage of manpower within the Bermuda Police Service.

For want of sufficient manpower within the Bermuda Police Service, there is a shortage of police personnel visibly policing the streets and communities.

For want of visible policing, violent crimes and crimes against property overrun the once ‘crime-free’ island of Bermuda.

E.D.

Warwick

My education suggestion

February 9, 2007

Dear Sir,I am really concerned for our young people who attend public school at the middle and high levels, and I am worried about the high failure rate that is putting them at risk.

I believe that the implementation of the middle school concept coupled with the mega-high school structure is doing a grave disservice to the educational experience of our Bermudian students.

Both our children attended government pre-schools and primary schools and my husband and I have full confidence in the public school system at these levels. My oldest is now in a private school.

In the private schools the children enter at the pre-school level and stay all the way through until they graduate. Buildings on the ground separate the primary students from the older children. In the public education system a child goes from pre-school to primary school to middle school and lastly high school. I am of the opinion that all this chopping and changing is unsettling to the children. I believe that the middle schools should be phased out. We simply made a mistake in choosing this educational philosophy.

Second, the mega-high schools are corroding the ability of the faculty to control the student population and clearly there is a large core of students falling through the cracks.

The PLP fought against the mega-high school concept back in the early nineties when CedarBridge was being built.

My suggestion is to turn Sandys Secondary and Whitney Institute back into high schools and reduce the population of students in Berkeley and CedarBridge.

CHERYL POOLEY

Smith’s Parish

Going down the toilet

February 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

Unless the retail business owners of Bermuda have the memory of a tick, which they must, why on earth would their concern about retail dollars being spent overseas rather than in their own country, be a problem? Hello!

Did Mr. Trimingham honestly think people were sad to see a concrete blob go by way of the wrecking ball? Could he not give enough credit to the people to whom that store held special meaning? Where perhaps graduation gifts were purchased. Christening clothes purchased. First new suit. First pair of heels. That is what truly saddened folks. You just wiped out two of the oldest landmark clothiers on Front Street, for business office space. Where do you suppose one can find a beautiful wedding gift, or shower present. Tee shirts, by the truck load, yes, but that becomes tiresome.

Why would anyone want to go to Bermuda anymore? There is no fine English China, beautiful woollens from the Irish Republic, or UK. Linens, crystal. There are no “finer things”, which also includes, manners, social graces and the like. How about “tea” in a hotel. Real tea, not tea bag tea. Bermuda has catapulted itself in to the rest of the world at lightning speed. Where the “all mighty” dollar is worshiped like a God. Where crime is out of control and the only thing one has to look forward to when sitting above the harbour having lunch, is the awful smell of diesel fumes.

You might as well realise you are headed down the toilet, and by all measures, your young people are not about to help you out.

JUDITH F.

Massachusetts

Editor’s Note: For the avoidance of doubt, the following letter is satirical and is not factual:

February 21, 2007

Dear Sir,Government announces “Know Who I Am” Campaign, The Premier, like all Bermudians, is concerned by the recent confrontation involving Canadian foreign worker Curtis Macleod and Member of Parliament George A. Scott.

Of course, the most troubling aspect of this unfortunate incident is that Mr. Macleod was obviously unable to recognize MP Scott as the distinguished public figure that he is. No member of the ruling party in Bermuda should have to present a business card and repeated ask “do you know who I am”. This is truly regrettable. As usual, Government has acted swiftly to address this issue. The Ministry of Labour and Immigration is proud to announce the launch of its “Know Who I Am” programme. Effective immediately, all foreign workers will receive, upon arrival in Bermuda, a pocket size guide to the luminaries who comprise Bermuda’s ruling class.

The guide will include professional colour photographs as well as details of the MPs’ children, spouses, former spouse(s), former spouse(s)’ children, significant other(s), former significant other(s), former significant other(s)’ children etc., to ensure that the appropriate degree of deference, obedience and reverence is demonstrated in all situations. As a related measure, work permit renewals (if any) will now include a short examination based on the guide. This examination will be administered in cooperation with the new Ministry of Expatriate Rehabilitation.

CHINY IN BERMUDA

Pembr

Earth to Mr. Furbert ...

February 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

I simply could not believe when I read the comments made today by the BIU leader, Chris Furbert. Is he from another planet? Will the BIU take some responsibility for the closing of over 47 properties since 1975? I have the list, which you can publish.

Where was Chris Furbert in May 1981, when the BIU called an illegal strike and ordered all hotel workers not to go to work? If I recall, there was a dispute at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the BIU kept escalating the problem, calling out the dock workers, taxi drivers, etc. etc. When they still did not get their way, they announced they would call out the hotel workers. The Bermuda Hotel Association pointed out this was in violation of the agreement between the BIU and the Hotels, where the BIU MUST give 21 days notice before strike action is taken.

Nevertheless, numerous hotel workers didn’t go to work and the Hotels found themselves in a completely untenable position. This was May 1981. Every hotel was full to capacity. The Hotels had no workers, no taxis were available and they were forced to close their doors. Private cars were forced to drive the tourists to the airport. The Causeway was blocked by BIU workers walking slowly across this bridge. Tourists had to carry their suitcases from the roundabout to the Airport Terminal. I was there. Numerous tourists said NEVER AGAIN would they return to Bermuda. Where was Mr. Furbert when this was happening — on the moon?

What Tony Brannon said of the BIU is true. I don’t blame the hotel workers; I blame the BIU who instructed the workers what to do and what not to do. This is nothing to do with black and white, it is to do with a militant union who didn’t know when to stop. If only the BIU would admit they went too far in their quest to get better conditions for all union workers. They just killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

CAMELOT

Pembroke

Care ‘on the house’

February 21, 2007

Dear Sir: Last month, my wife and I were minding our business doing what we had to do while on vacation in croc country down under.

Unfortunately, an old war wound of mine acted up and we were forced back to civilisation and I took sick in a hospital in Sydney.

Well, I said to myself, Thank God for my BF & M Insurance card and Mastercard. It’s not good to get caught short 12,000 miles away from home.

Imagine my surprise when the admitting nurse caught up with me in the Emergency Department of this posh hospital.

She ripped up my credit slip and said with a smile: “It’s on the house”.

Thinking I’d won the lottery, I wanted more information.

It’s very simple, she said. It’s not a lottery.

You carry a British passport, issued in Bermuda.

You and anybody who carries a British passport is entitled to free emergency healthcare in Australia.

But I haven’t visited England in more than 25 years, I protested.

Doesn’t matter, she says. You could be born in Timbuktu (or Bermuda) and have never visited the mother country. It is the British passport that counts. There is a reciprocal agreement between Australia and Great Britain that allows treatment for nationals in both countries free of charge.

And so I spent five wonderful stress- free, payment- free days at the expense of the British taxpayer. I wonder what other countries are covered by this “reciprocal agreement”?

Thank you, Mother Country. Your gold British passport is now platinum in my mind

CHRIS LODGE

Warwick