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Jumeirah, Jumeirah on the wall, who really profits most of all?

In 2003 the Quorum Group had partnered with Four Seasons to formulate a plan for developing the Club Med site. But in 2006 Dr. Brown cancelled their agreement without any explanation beyond "They did not meet Government's criteria". Of course he never did tell us what those criteria were - if you recall that was one of those insulting "plantation" questions.

In the end it didn't matter that the good Doctor had "confidence that KJA were up to the task", because they barely made it a year before they too were unceremoniously dumped. Apparently those pesky criteria proved to be elusive once again. Now we're supposed to get excited by the Bazarian Group? They say the third time's the charm, but they also say, "Three strikes and you're out".

The question I have is this: What made the Quorum plans for Club Med unacceptable while those Jumeirah has for Southlands are granted the Premier's Seal of Approval? As far as I can tell, one involved the demolition and redevelopment of a derelict eyesore while the other concretes over one of the largest remaining tracts of undeveloped land and destroys precious nesting sites for longtails.

One had wide spread support throughout the community and was viewed as critical to the economy of the area, while the other has been met with near unanimous vocal opposition.

As I recall Dr. Brown refused to reveal what it cost us for him to stay at Jumeirah's Burj AL Arab Resort in Dubai last year. You guessed it, another "plantation" violation. Well, maybe now we know.

At the numerous parties of my misspent youth we always brought our own booze.

It was unfair to saddle the person supplying this week's venue with the additional cost of a not-insignificant liquor bill.

In fact one new participant at our soirees described them as "accumulating more rum than you could possibly drink and then drinking it".

It's now apparent that the PLP has the same philosophy with taxes.

They raise more money than they can possibly spend and then they spend it. Although "spend" might be a misnomer since the Auditor General still can't actually find receipts for it all.

And I don't know why they bother having a budget debate. No actual debating takes place and it's not even a real budget. I've always looked at budgets as something you were supposed to at least TRY to stick to. But if Government wants to spend more than they planned (and they're planning to spend a BILLION dollars this year), they just spend it and then pass supplementary approval later. I wish my budget was that flexible.

I see the Ayatollahs at the AME Church have been back up on their anti-gay soapbox (that's a soap box for anti-gays not a box of anti-gay soap - although I bet they wish they had some).

Bigots

TV Personality Rosie O'Donnell had been planning to host a Family Cruise to Bermuda in July for gay parents and their children. But it seemed the idea that there will be a 'ship-load' of openly homosexual adults (that's a flock of a lot) and their children descending on Hamilton was just too much for these bigots and their narrow little minds to handle.

For Christ's sake! It was a family cruise not a Gay Pride Parade! It's not like they were going to erect a tent on the field at Spice Valley School and hold loud meetings, singing and shouting until all hours of the night while they try to lure you into joining their cult - or at least making a donation. Unlike some I can name, these people are just coming here on vacation and want nothing more than what we give all our other visitors - a chance to lay on the beach and spend a little money.

If the AME had their way Bermuda Tourism's slogan would be: "Feel the Love ... unless it's the with someone of the same sex. In which case we'll kidnap you and hold you hostage in our church until we cure you with prayer".

These medieval Tali-bandits should have just locked themselves in their church and prayed for the entire week if they were that upset. That way the rest of us could have done the right thing and given Rosie's group an Immaculate Reception.

But I suggest they keep a close eye on the rest of their congregation - Christian Moral Fibre. Hah! A wise man once said: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

If, as the PLP claims, the Human Rights Act does in fact provide homosexuals protection against discrimination then Government should charge the AME Church and United By Faith with a violation and take them to court for their openly hostile actions. Of course they won't, because it doesn't.[[In-content Ad]]

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