Nothing but a PLP stun

tDear Sir,

After reading today’s paper I felt that it would be better if the public heard from the point of view of someone who actually attended the Premier’s dinner in Halifax.

I am going to have to agree with Michael Dunkley that dinner and reception with the Premier was all about getting our votes.

I must applaud the Premier for his efforts, though they were very strategic. It’s quite difficult for a university student to pass up a “free dinner” and alcohol. Unfortunately the networking promised was disappointing.

There wasn’t enough career diversity and no one seemed able to assist me with my potential career choices. The mystery about this event was solved when the opening speech for the dinner was nothing more than a poorly disguised opening speech for the PLP.

Then the event started to take another turn. We were told that there were “important” people at our tables who we could talk to about our careers. However the Premier invited the “important” people to his table shortly after the dinner started.

The Premier ended the dinner by speaking to the audience about the accomplishment of the PLP and their plans for the future. By this time it was clear that this event had nothing to do with us, the students of Bermuda.

After his speech the Premier kindly allowed us to ask him questions. Strange how this night was supposed to be about OUR future careers, yet we were questioning his. However I must admit it was entertaining watching his ship sink as he twisted question after question.

My personal favourite was when he compared Bermuda not having a new hotel in 30 years to a woman having to wear the same dress for 30 years. Silly me, it is so clear now that the fashion industry and the tourism industry are EXACTLY the same.

Some questions he didn’t even answer. For example the question regarding the gay cruise, was actually “What was the Premier’s thoughts on it and the possible threat it has on the tourism industry if they choose not to come.”

Premier Brown was nice enough to change the question in his head to “Should gays be allowed in Bermuda?”, and then answered it. I wondered why he didn’t answer that question and then it became clear later on that he couldn’t answer it.

Dr. Brown stated that he wanted Bermudians to go into the hospitality industry because it’s booming. However had he answered the question correctly, he would’ve said the cruise not coming would no doubt be a large threat to the tourism industry.

Since 80% of tourists come from the USA, and Bermuda’s attitude towards homosexuals is not as liberal as the USA, he would have to acknowledge the fact that our #1 tourist source would be in jeopardy. This would kill the tourist “boom” and potentially doom a large portion of our population.

Even though I was an eye witness to the Premier’s train wreck of a question period in Halifax, I cannot express in words the joy of watching a “highly” educated individual’s political scheme backfire.

The night was clearly an eye opener, seeing ringmaster Brown touring with his PLP circus of deceptions. If the Premier is so concerned with the future careers of young Bermudians, then he should take his circus to the public education system.

He should talk to those Bermudians who need to understand the opportunities they can have if they graduate high school and go on to university. If he chooses to talk to us about our careers then by all means come, let’s talk. However if he wants to try and pull this stunt again, don’t disrespect our intelligence, you’ve wasted enough of our time and money PLP.

Sincerely,

MARK FRANK TURNER

Paget

How to cut congestion

April 11, 2007

Open Letter To Premier Brown

Dear Sir,

First of all I would like to applaud the current government of Bermuda for acknowledging that more frequent and free public transport will be a huge step in the right direction towards relieving the current rush hour gridlock on our roads. The Government is also to be congratulated on the new ferry schedule starting April 16th which has doubled the departures from the Warwick and Paget docks to Hamilton before 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6.

Walking home from the bus stop last week on Middle Road in Warwick while the traffic was at a standstill, I observed that approximately 80 percent of the vehicles had only one occupant (the driver).

The problem of traffic congestion is certainly not unique to Bermuda. There has to be a better solution than discriminating against individuals as to who can and cannot own a vehicle.

I believe the Premier and the Ministry of Transport should consider the following proposal which would effectively halve the number of private vehicles on the road during peak hours:

The introduction of a system whereby only private vehicles with a registration number ending with an even number are allowed use of the roads between 7.30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Alternate this every second day so as the next day private vehicles with a registration number ending with an odd number has the exclusive right to the roads between these times.

This system would encourage more employers to be more flexible with working hours by allowing employees to work from 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., hence these employees would not be on the roads during peak hours.

Such a system would also encourage people in the same neighbourhood to form a car pool. This would also promote community values. Another benefit which is extremely topical and important these days is the fact that car pooling would reduce greenhouse gases and global warming.

How do you penalise offending vehicles? By placing law enforcement officers at the Johnny Barnes roundabout, at the Tennis Stadium and a strategically designated spot on North Shore Road and fine them $50 on the spot per infringement.

This system would be fair to all road users.

LARRY LOGICAL, GRAHAM GREENIE

Warwick

Why we shop abroad

April 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

I was absolutely shocked and floored by my experience today. The first incident occurred in a very reputable clothing store on the island. My mother and I were in this store when she attempted to purchase the clothes that were put on hold for her the previous day. The retail clerk who “attended” to her was very cold and unfriendly and simply mumbled that “she could not find them”. She did not even ask my mother if she needed assistance. My mother then spent time searching for more clothing only to find out that her original clothes were being held with a labelled tag on them at the main cashier’s counter.

My mother then noticed a stain on the white shirt (the only one in her size) when she asked if she could receive a discounted price and she was refused (needless to say she did not purchase the shirt).

I just do not understand how people in this industry can afford to be so cold to customers when they (customers) are allowing them to make a living. This “Buy Bermuda” phrase (concept) has become so common, yet these kinds of encounters drive us Bermudians to continue to shop abroad where there are cheaper prices and the service is most often better (especially as many of those employees work on commission).

NOT WILLING TO “BUY BERMUDA” YET

Warwick

A frightening mindset

April 10, 2007

Dear Sir,

write in response to the letter to the Editor entitled ‘Wakely bit the hand—’ in which reference is made to MP Derrick Burgess’ statement that ‘freedom of speech has its consequences’. According to Ms Furbert, those of us who have spoken out in Bermuda know only too well the consequences of free speech. Perhaps Ms Furbert and Minister Burgess have misconstrued the true meaning of “free speech”. According to the Oxford dictionary, another phrase for ‘free’ is ‘to let go’ and ‘speech’ is ‘spoken communication’, so is that what Ms Furbert interprets as the consequence for exercising ‘free speech’ — you should be let go for speaking out?

If so, I disagree. Just because it happened in the past, doesn’t make it right. It appears that the mindset of some of the politicians is that if you cannot make a man think as you do, make him do as you think. This mindset may make the expats fearful of speaking out, however, as a Bermudian, I will continue to speak objectively or as I see it, even if it goes against the grain of some politicians. This healthy diversity of views is what should be appreciated, but the mindset of Ms Furbert and the like is particularly frightening. Let the voters decide who should be let go in the next election. After all, the PLP Government was elected to serve the people, and not the reverse.

DEMOCRATIC IN DEVONSHIRE

The ‘me first’ mentality

Dear Sir,

This is in response to ‘No to Welfare, Devonshire’ — ‘Don’t believe UBP hype’ — April 1, 2007 published in The Royal Gazette.

You’re obviously a loyal follower of the Brown camp and you may be one of the fortunate individuals who are prospering under the PLP government, however, not everyone shares your view.

There were a few important points that you failed to mention in your letter, for instance, are you renting and paying for your own utilities/food etc. while the house you purchased is on rent? Did your parents assist you in any way? Was it a family house (i.e. special deal) purchased below market value? Did you go to the bank with your hard earned money to negotiate a mortgage? You see, not every young person is able to team up with a sibling to make such a purchase. In fact, I know of a few cases where parents assist their children by giving those children head starts, i.e. paying college tuition, financial assistance, free room and board plus food, securing employment for them, in addition to assisting with the purchase of a home for them, not to mention their inheritance — so where do you fit in? What about the ‘entitlement mentality’?

Back in the day, your grandparents didn’t have to compete with as many guest workers and there were few international businesses here, if any; land was plentiful, therefore, houses were nowhere near as expensive as today, plus there was room for farming etc. This generation today can’t even compare with our hardworking grandparents because they are more selfish and have the ‘crabs in a bucket’ mentality and expect payment for the simplest chore. Would you accept a bag of vegetables or a carton of milk as payment for helping your neighbour, or should I say, would you even help your neighbour? Perhaps you have the same mentality as this government —ME FIRST!

I don’t agree with the ‘welfare mentality’ either and I certainly don’t expect the government to do everything for us, just as I don’t expect for this government to do everything for themselves as they’ve done. So we don’t have to listen to the UBP telling us that we can’t make it in Bermuda under this government, we’re reminded every time we go to the grocery store, utility companies, landlords etc. — the harsh reality speaks for itself.

HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE,

St. David’s

No bastion of tolerance

Dear Sir,

When Ms Moniz mentions that “... everyone’s culture is tolerated ...” in Dubai, she’s either blissfully unaware of that country’s policies with regards to people of the Jewish faith or her view of tolerance encompasses only the religious faith to which she belongs. Let me inform Ms Moniz that Dubai may be slightly more accepting of diversity than other states in that part of the world but they are hardly bastions of ‘tolerance’.

HENRY ROTH

Monkland Ave

Montreal

Our Premier’s audacity

Dear Sir,

You have received many letters regarding the closing of the Medical Clinic at the Hospital including my own, and the dire need to keep the Clinic open has been well expressed in many ways, and by many people.

We have heard all the weak excuses for the closure and lack of information, but I have to express my horror at the latest proposal to beg the volunteers of the Red Cross and the Meals on Wheels to help out our poor Minister of Health to transport the Clinic patients to all their various doctors. (Incidentally no doctors have been named who are willing to take on the extra work load.)

The sheer audacity of the Premier to ask the volunteer organisations to do the transporting of patients in order to save a few dollars, when he goes gallivanting off to visit students, to Dubai and other places is appalling !

Our Premier wants to save a half a million dollars by closing the Medical Clinic, and yet he can donate 11 million dollars to sports activities.

I concede that our young people need to be encouraged in their various sports, and I hope and pray that those who administer those funds will do so wisely.

I use the Premier’s name, as he seems to be the one who initiates the withdrawal and granting of funds. It seems that our Premier needs to get his priorities sorted out. Perhaps he has, since a general election is in the near future, and he is likely to gain more votes from the many who receive his bounty than from those few who are deprived of it.

PAT FARMER

Paget