UBP developed Bermuda

May 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

For 35 years and even longer, the supporters and representatives of the United Bermuda Party developed this country. They built an education system which may not have worked as well as it should have but, as the recent Hopkins report suggested, it was the people that failed, not the system; they built a good police service and a judiciary; they created a parks system and an environmental protection programme; they built a hospital and a medical programme that worked for many years but was allowed (under the PLP) to deteriorate without any attention; and they built an economy based on tourism and international business that was and is the envy of the world.

Like all leaders and Governments, the United Bermuda Party wasn't, and isn't perfect. They forgot their responsibility to all of the people. They forgot that there were people in Bermuda who needed a support system, not an investment in the future. They forgot that there were people with different values and traditions which needed to be respected and included. They forgot these things and then they lost the right — and the respect — of the people.

For nine years the people of Bermuda have been waiting for change. All they've gotten is hypocrisy, arrogance, incompetence and whispers (very loud whispers) that Larry Dennis is maybe on to something. There is NO accountability anymore — there wasn't even a follow up story to Dennis' report that a half billion dollars of YOUR money is unaccounted for.

We have a so-called leader who surrounds himself with goons; barricades himself in his house behind a fence and surveillance cameras; and makes so many pronouncements of good things that never happen that we've all just come to the point where we tune it all out. We have an education system that is now clearly broken. Our police force is led by an invisible man and the AG is a political appointee. Haiti has a better hospital than us. Race is used as a political weapon and a threat to all who don't look like the PLP. And the economy is kept afloat by the private sector despite the barriers and obstacles erected by the PLP.

There was a time when people said that the UBP didn't listen and they were right. Now what do we have? A PLP government led by a man who lied to us in 2003; who is presented with a petition from hundreds of people who don't want to see the loss of the Medical Clinic and he simply ignores them; who sees that over 65 percent of Bermudians do not want Independence but still states categorically that this is his intent; who sees the uproar created over Southlands and is now afraid to issue an SDO because he cannot figure out a way to persuade us that there is some "national concern" justifying it as opposed to the very local concern of benefiting a very few people.

The United Bermuda Party lacked social responsibility but they were not stupid. Over the past nine years they have been attracting people of all races, particularly blacks, who have benefited from the education system; who have travelled the world; and who have developed a broad sense of good values and an appreciation for diversity and different cultural traditions. In 2006, a highly respected poll pointed out that over 70 percent of Bermudians of all races and backgrounds, believed that the United Bermuda Party was totally capable of running the country and solving the problems. The issue was race — and that is because the only way that the PLP can win an election much less do anything else is to promote racial divisiveness and use the race card to threaten all and sundry.

Shawn Crockwell, Jon Brunson, Donte Hunte, Wayne Furbert, Louise Jackson,Tillman Darrell, Kim Swan, Darius Tucker, Pat Gordon-Pamplin and many others, are not just standing around being led by a bunch of old white people. In fact, they are shaping the values and philosophies of the United Bermuda Party. They are capable, honest, demanding and well-travelled people and they are this countries future. They have reshaped the United Bermuda Party and it will be that reshaped United Bermuda Party which will lead this country in the years to come because there is no place for racial diversity, no place for threats, no place for incompetence and corruption. No place, no time, no longer.

CALL THAT ELECTION ANYTIME DOC

Southampton

Tearing Dr. Brown down

May 8 2007

Dear Sir,

I have read several letters similar to the one that Mr. Fahy has had printed in today's Royal Gazette. I keep on reading this term "stop at nothing" in regard to Dr. Brown. So, is this some Austin Powers movie where people will stop at nothing to achieve world domination? That sentiment is fiction in these movies and it's nothing but fiction here, fiction that the Opposition uses as fear mongering.

From my understanding, Dr. Brown had a very successful university career — he was even named to the Board of Trustees at Howard University which is no small feat — he ran a respected and successful medical practice in Los Angeles where he was awarded for his community involvement.

Along the way Dr. Brown has acquired a vast array of friends and respectful colleagues from academia, from the political halls of power, from the man on the street and from the social arenas in many countries. No matter what journey he has been on, Dr. Brown has never lost his political sense of what the PLP has stood for, so when the esteemed Freddie Wade asked Dr. Brown to "come home" and help lead the country into this new era, he did come and he came with a vision.

My point is that Dr. Brown has lead a full life, his children are happy and healthy, his practice is thriving and he's reached a major pinnacle in hometown politics —- so this nonsense about him "stopping at nothing" — to get what exactly?

The Royal Gazette constantly trumpets Shawn Goater's prowess with a ball, but here a native son like Goater has created an amazing legacy in spite of the obstacles that faced him, and rather than hold him up as an example in a country whose young black men need as many good role models as they can get — they instead try and tear him down — maybe Dr. Brown would've been better off if he spent more time on the soccer pitch than at his books, eh?

VANZ CHAPMAN

Toronto, Ontario

Permit absentee voting

May 10, 2007

Dear Sir,

The topic on today's Shirley Dill show was about everybody's right to vote and everybody should vote, but nobody mentioned the right of Bermudians who happened to be off the island when a General Election is called. Even Dale Butler talked about "democracy", yet it is his Party who does not permit absentee voting, so until this deplorable situation is rectified there no democracy on this island.

SEEING IT AS IT IS

Pembroke

Maybe it is XL's fault

May 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

There was a big article the other day on XL's "Day of Giving" which was scheduled for Thursday May 10, 2007. Coincidentally, when driving into Hamilton yesterday, Thursday May 10, 2007, there was virtually no traffic coming into the city via East Broadway.

Everyone seems to be jumping at the private schools creating the traffic congestion, but I'm wondering could it be companies like XL who issue company cars to everyone with is an AVP or above (which seems to be most of the company). You decide as it was just my observation.

TRAFFIC OBSERVER

City of Hamilton