Bermudians take note

April 24, 2007

Dear Sir,

The letter below addressed to Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Rozy Azhar may be of some real interest to many status Bermudians who find themselves suddenly feeling somewhat second class and inconvenienced, in spite of the fact that we have been repeatedly assured that as a Status Bermudian you are in fact Bermudian under the law of the island. I would appreciate it very much if you would bring the matter into the light of public scrutiny:

Dear Mrs. Azhar,

I have been trying to find out how I, as a Status Bermudian with British patriality, can obtain a Bermuda passport to entitle me to the same privileges that Govt has recently negotiated for born Bermudians — i.e. visa free travel to USA and the right to stay for up to 6 months.

There are a number of persons I know of, in my same situation, we are status Bermudians, of British or EU origin retired here, with adult children, some here and some in USA.

We would like to be able to travel to USA once or twice a year to spend time with our extended families without being restricted to three months or less per visit. (Fares are costly and travelling is not that easy as you get older, so it would be good to know that one can stay for more than three months without hassle, and return to one’s Bermuda home without visa hassles.)

I have been told that one should be able to apply for naturalisation as a BOTC and thus acquire a Bermuda passport. Is this true for persons born in UK and Europe?

What would be the fee for this? Since we are legally Bermudian already, is there in fact a fee for claiming a privilege granted to our spouses and children automatically?

I would be grateful for a written reply as I plan to copy this letter to The Royal Gazette, so that the facts can be made clear for all concerned with this issue.

MARGARET DYER-FORSTER

Pembroke

Eat crow, Mr. Christensen

April 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

I would like to disabuse Craig Christensen of his belief that objectors to the proposed Southlands development want only to “preserve some Mexican peppers on a hillside in Warwick” >Royal Gazette, April 25). These are the species that are either residents of or migratory visitors to the various habitats of Southlands (the list is woefully incomplete, without mention of marine species there):

Eastern Bluebird, Common Ground Dove, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Grey Catbird, Kiskadee, White-eyed Vireo (endemic),European Starling, European Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Red-eyed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Solitary Vireo, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Peewee, Eastern Phoebe, Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Northern Parula, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Blackburnian Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Mourning Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Veery, Woodthrush, White-throated Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Pine Siskin, Merlin, American Kestrel, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Barn Owl, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret, White-tailed Tropic Bird, Wilson’s Snipe, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Piping Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Land Crab,Sally Lightfoot, Rock Dove, Chicken, Jamaican Anole, Barbados Anole, Bermuda Skink, Giant Toad, Common Whistling Frog, Bermuda Cedar, Bermudiana, Pittisporum, Brazilian Pepper, Fidelwood, Buttonwood, Seaside Morning Glory, Monarch Butterfly, Gulf Fritillary, Cabbage White, Cloudless Sulphur, Red Admiral,Buckeye . . . and a great richness of other insects above and worms within the earth which are all so vital for the sustaining of this beautiful land and its enjoyment by birdwatchers, dog walkers, joggers, poets, lovers, neighbours, visitors, and the very young and the very old.

Perhaps Mr. Christensen can expand his consciousness of the residents of Southlands to including one more species — by eating a little crow.

CHICK-OF-THE-VILLAGE

Somerset

Bermuda’s problems

April 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am writing a few oobservations about Premier Brown's administration. One was the $11 million given to the cricket team with most of the funds being spent on them so far. I guess the balance will filter down to the common players. The team is now famous: Stars that did not shine. I guess you remember the Miami 7 Football players now we have the whipping 11 cricket players. Sluggo was a star, now his name is Floggo. The team has a perfect record, they lost all their games.

I might sound negative but it’s because the selectors sent a bunch of geriatric players to play cricket, saying their experience would benefit Bermuda cricket, but I am made to understand that at least 85 per cent of the players will not be playing any more competitive cricket. I hope the balance of the moneys would be used for local cricket . Remember the World Cricket Board has warned us about the National Stadium that has to be upgraded within a year if not Bermuda will lose the one day status. To whoever is in charge please pay attention.

I am also mad about the $15 million being given to the Bermuda Football Association because we are not ready for the world stage of football. Our dreams are too big. Let’s dream a bit more locally and then broaden our dream. It amazes me how money can be found that is not in the budget.

Premier Dr. Brown’s decision to close the indigent clinic is final. I know that, but I wish he would announce his full plan that will replace the clinic so that the seniors and disabled can move on with their lives. Here is one basic reason I don’t want the clinic to close. It is as follows: The waiting time for appointments and the waiting time after the appointments. My first point on the issue is doctors are not going to put any emphasis on these patients and they will be treated as indigent patients with little value, because the doctor wants his money up front. The patients are at the disposal of their drivers getting them to their appointments on time and that means if they are late arriving they cause pick up to be late as well and these patients will have to wait at the doctor’s office for their rides to return for them. I don’t know the truth behind the closure of the clinic, I have heard the Premier make a public statement but I don’t believe him. My personal thought is Dr. Brown is looking to give the hospital competition by opening up the first private hospital. The facility he has in Paget has gotten too small for his dreams. I was there recently and the parking lot was so full I could hardly turn the vehicle around.

I heard Dr. Brown purchased a building next to Summerhaven in Smith’s Parish for a research facility. I believe that building has a lot of hospital facility potential. Now that the property in Smith’s has been rezoned from residential to commercial use by the Minister in Charge of that work, I believe it’s a political payback.

Editor, I believe that Dr. Brown is going to call the election right after Cup Match or early September while school is out. He is going to get rid of all the dead weight politicians such as DeVent, Foggo, Simmons, Alex Scott and Jennifer Smith. He does not want any opposition in his party. He wants to leave that to the United Bermuda Party. He wants politicians that think like him, he needs more professionals in the back bench so he can shuffle his cabinet for whenever one wants to challenge him.

Dr. Brown hears but he doesn’t listen. I do like his programme for naming buildings, streets, boats, etc. after Bermudian heroes, white or black, but I want to say the Airport naming was the most outstanding one. I attended one of the sessions at the House of Assembly and was very pleased with the access of it. It has a beautiful elevator as I am physically challenged. I encourage all the physically challenged to go to the House of Assembly at least once to experience the debate and see the facility.

I was partly pleased with Dr. Brown’s solution on transportation, unfortunately I did not hear what transportation is being put in place for the physically challenged. (I need an answer because I have a right to get around this country like anyone else). I have been waiting for the last five years. I want him to tighten up on the trucks that belong to Belco and BTC because some of them need to double up to utilise more space on our roads. These companies have too many trucks that are not properly utilised.

I am very pleased with the recommendations made to the expats to utilise the public transportation system. I believe the law for drunk driving should be five years off the road. The car is like a loaded gun — it’s a killer, if it doesn’t take your life it ends up giving you a miserable one. The judges should not have the power to change that law or have flexibility with it. I cannot see Bermuda having three political parties, not the way the political system is structured because we have to find 36 candidates per party to run the House, total of 108. We haven’t even had 10 decent politicians in the last 40 years (that’s my opinion) since I have been following politics. Every time someone is asked to run for the House, they are asked, what three things do you want to do for the country? One answer is to improve the street conditions, that is not political meat, we need meat not gravy. We need to have some people policy, i.e., to improve people’s lives such as housing, collecting monies the bosses owe for pension. Stop playing pocketics and start playing politics. The three problems in this country are:

1. Housing and that’s not difficult to solve it jut needs to be done.

2. Education needs to go back to the basic 4 R’s: Reading, Arithmetic, Writing and Respect.

3. Pension for seniors and physically challenged.

Dr. McPhee has a nerve to come under the support of Dr. Brown’s closure of the clinic. He was one of the doctors for years that gave that service and at 70 years old they let him go and he had an attitude about that. Now I question why he made that statement about closing the clinic.

WILLARD FOX

St. David’s

Help me contact friend

April 1, 2007

Dear Sir,

I wonder if you could help me?

I am trying to get in touch with an old friend:

Catherine Chapman — born April 2, 1930/31 who attended The Manchester High School for Girls in Manchester, Lancashire, England in the 1940s.

Catherine Chapman’s father was then the Rector of Stretford, Lancashire, England and had a calling to Bermuda in the late 1940s — early 1950s.

I last met with Catherine in 1954.

If you would please let me know of any outcome I would very much appreciate it.

My name was at school Isobel Gordon Owen and is now:

Isobel Gordon

101 Wollaston Street

Victoria, B.C.

V9A 5B3

Canada

Telephone: area code 250 475 3363

Thank you very much.

ISOBEL GORDON

Happy 40th birthday!

April 24, 2007

Dear Sir,

I would like to wish my former class mates who are turning 40 this year a happy birthday!

We were the class of 1984 from Northlands Secondary School.

MARGARET STEWART

(NOW BENEV IDES)

Port Charlotte, Florida