Furbert running his mouth again…

Wayne Furbert continued pouring out against the UBP to the Royal Gazette again yesterday with the following:

During the Throne Speech debate in the House of Assembly, Mr. Furbert said: “The UBP mentions that people need to feel free to express themselves. When I expressed myself a few weeks ago, I was almost thrown out of the whip.”

Of course!  You sat there and publicly criticised the candidate your party chose to represent  constituency #31 in the upcoming bi-election.  You make you’re opinions know in caucus and let it rest on what the party, as a whole, decides and you move forward with them.  I’m pretty sure when the UBP bring up freedom of speech and change they are talking about the freedom of the public to bring forth new ideas – not their own candidates running to the papers every time they don’t get their way.  Either grow up or get out!

Expat ID cards

So Expats are to be issued ID cards so that immigration can track down illegal immigrants.  There has been some interesting comments over on Bermuda is Another World. Blankman read my mind when he responded to the following question:

How is “Immigration Enforcement”gonna differentiate between Bermudians and Guest Workers…??

Easy.  Does the individual look like a “real” Bermudian?  If not, ask for their ID and if they claim they’re Bermudian/SoB/PRC either (1) take their word for it, (2) send them home for ID [of course if they're illegals what are the chances of them coming back], or (3) put them in custody until they can produce acceptable proof of their status [which means that you could be jailed simply for not looking like a “real” Bermudian, or sounding like one, or for simply annoying the Compliance officer

A while back Doug over at FreshieBlog commented on what a ‘Real’ Bermudian seems to consitute here and I completely agree with him.  I freqently get mistaken as Canadian after having living there for 9 years for education purposes. However, I am a born Bermudian…should be interesting to see what happens here…

Sport Developments

An article in the Royal Gazette brings up an interesting point:

Questions marks now hang over the numerous multi-million dollar projects James had unveiled in recent months including; a sports complex at White Hill Field, mini-centres of excellence at Cooper’s Island, and a promise to finally start construction on the long-awaited 50-metre swimming pool at the National Sports Centre.

With the new Minister Blakeney being the father of national team cricketer Glenn Blakeney, my guess is the sport complex at White Hill Field will stay since there’s talk of putting in an international standard cricket pitch.  My bets are on the long-awaited 50-metre swimming pool being scrapped – hell we’ve waited this long, what’s a little longer?!

Bermuda International Race Weekend

So I’m looking at doing the Bermuda Triangle Challenge having completed the full challenge last year.  Hopefully, this year they will actually recognize the winners with the lowest times.  I was really vexed with that last year even though there were only 13 of us that completed it.  So I’m looking at signing up for the event and get to the category selection and corresponding prices:

Bermuda International Race Weekend 2009

Select a Category:	Price:	Member Price†
10K Run Age must be at least 12 as of 1/17/2009.	$20.00	$18.00
Half Marathon Age must be at least 16 as of 1/18/2009.	$50.00	$48.00
Marathon Age must be at least 16 as of 1/18/2009.	$60.00	$58.00
Bermuda Triangle Challenge Age must be at least 16 as of 1/16/2009.	$125.00	$123.00
Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge Age must be at least 16 as of 1/16/2009.	$125.00	$123.00
10K Charity Walk	$20.00	$18.00

Now I’m confused….the Bermuda Triangle Half and Full Challenge are $125!  I could qualify for the front street mile, sign up for the 10km and the marathon and still have it only cost me $80!  I’m sure a the custom Triangle Challenge t-shirt and medal don’t cost $45.  So why the huge discrepancy in price?

Last year, if I remember correctly, signing up for the Triangle Challenge was cheaper than signing up for the combined races. So is the price gouging due to the fact there are only 400 spots?? (which we didn’t even come close to filling last year!) Or because we expect the majority of those to be tourists off island so we make them pay even more on top of air fare and hotels to race.

As a side note: If Bermuda Track and Field Association hopes to get 400 people to race the challenge next year, I sure hope they have their water stops better maned then last year. Two water stops back to back were not set up last year – man was I glad I was racing with my fuel belt and had supportive parents!

Regular blogging

This past summer has been rather hectic…but I’m hoping to get back to some more regular blogging.  I’m a big fan of Decouto’s 10 minute rants over at FreshieBlog so I might give those a try…

A step backwards…

The Bermuda Health Council (BHeC) has stopped publishing the minutes of its monthly meetings which is a definite step backwards in the war for transparency and the Right to Know campaign.

By the wording of the article in the Royal Gazette, it looks as though the Health Minister Nelson Bascome stepped in and replaced the chairman and three of the members of council in one quick sweep and low and behold the new chairman now decides that the BHeC will no longer publish their minutes…makes me more curious about what was to be discussed in up coming meetings.  Unfortunately, all of the minutes that were published on the BHeC website have now been removed.

New wheels

The Premier’s new G1 car is apparently a BMW 750Li which has a 4.8-litre, V-8 engine with 360 horsepower.  Some of the cars other features include:

• Night vision — an infrared camera built into the front of the vehicle
• Adaptive headlights that moves with the car as it turns corners
• Eight sensors to help the driver with parking (If you can’t park it why buy it??)
• Bluetooth wireless technology

Wait, no bullet proof windows?? 

Proverty pays for shiny cars

According to Phil Perinchief, former Attorney General, between 25 and 30 percent of Bermuda’s population falls below the poverty line.  The Premier commissioned the study but it wasn’t released because it was politicaly volatile.  Mr. Burgess replied with “It doesn’t benefit us to sit on it, why?” and “We certainly haven’t been sitting on it for over a year.” 

Government shouldn’t be sitting on it at all.  If taxpayer’s money is being used to pay for the study then taxpayer’s have a right to know the result of the study as soon as the study is complete.  How many other studies have been commissioned by the government and taxpayer’s money that taxpayer’s don’t even know about??? This one is news to me!

Of course it benefits you!  With the Premier running off donating taxpayers money to parties at the Playboy mansion, buying a new $80,000 G1 car (just the beginning of among a long list of unnecessary expenditures) when we have 25-30% of the population below the poverty line – hiding this type of information is a priority.  Government does want the population to know how badly they are failing them – especially the poorest part of the population which needs the most help from Governments social programs! 

Response to Letter to the Editor

I’ve been out for a while – but could not pass up responding to this.  There have been similar letters to the editor publish in both the Royal Gazette and the Bermuda Sun.  I have taken the liberty of copying the letter written in the Royal Gazette below in order to respond and for any who may have missed it:

June 17, 2008

Dear Sir,

I take exception to the reckless and erroneous manner in which an event my husband and I and friends attend and support here in Los Angeles is being addressed in the House. It is important to me that Mrs. Jackson is given an honest, supported view rather than one filled with old pictures, distorted news and pure weapons of mass distraction for Bermudians.

In May my brother and his wife, the Premier and Mrs. Brown, made an “unofficial” visit to Los Angeles. He played golf, we had a family dinner and on the afternoon of his birthday, he was honoured with a celebration again with family and friends. Later that evening, what has become a topic of conversation, was the Playboy Mansion affair. Here in Southern California, we have hundreds of venues where fundraisers are held nightly! The Playboy Mansion happens to be one of them.

What really matters here to me, by the way, is not where it was held, but that a father came to support his son in his endeavours without judgment. This nonprofit organisation, brilliantly organised by my nephew, to go into countries to help in the aftermath of disasters! This young man, without notice, leaves his wife, children and medical practice, to go around the world with a medical team that he assembled to save lives. Now that is newsworthy! I hope Mrs. Jackson and the UBP will take sometime on the floor of the House and expand upon the ending to our family visit in Los Angeles. The only part really matters in my book.

Our family of nine spent more than two hours at our Spiritual Community, Agape International Centre. A proclamation from Los Angeles County filled with the good work my brother did in Los Angeles for over (20) years was presented to him. The Mayor of Culver City presented him with the key to the City. However, most important was that we sat in a House of Worship with 1,100 other people. We sat in meditation. We sat in prayer. We sang, we listened, we healed. Peace and Blessings,

EMILITA V. JOHNSON (BERMUDIAN)

Los Angeles

P.s. I have not read any articles so far praising the fact that those that were successful in their bids for the trips to Bermuda will not be generating “tourist” dollars for the island.

 

First off, I think it’s great that the Premier spent time with his family and friends out in Los Angeles – playing golf and celebrating his birthday with family and friends.  I really don’t care what the Premier decides to do in his personal life including spending an evening gambling withbunnies out at the Playboy Mansion in order to “support his son in his endeavours without judgment”.

What I DO have a SERIOUS problem with is the fact that he’s been sending TAXPAYER’S DOLLARS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS to do it!!! 

 

Bermuda Gymnasts heading to Nationals

Mid Ocean news reported the success of Bermuda’s budding gymansts in a meet in New York this past weekend.  I doubt any MPs or media were at the airport to greet them, but then again they aren’t playing cricket. I’m also sure the Bermuda Gymnastics Association doesn’t receive anything close to $11 million in funding – if any at all.