Bermuda Blue: Why we should all take time to chill out this Cup Match

I’m glad Cup Match is just around the corner, not because it’s four days off or the fact that I am intending to spend those four days sleeping in front of the TV.

It’s because it is a time when we can all, hopefully, cool off a bit and let the tensions of recent weeks subside.

We’ve had marches, political boycotts, the PRC issue, increasing dissatisfaction with the Government, two very high-profile resignations over the so-called JetGate affair and warnings from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) about spreading vitriol through on-line comments. 

With Government withdrawing its appeal, the PRC is going to drag on and I am sure the HRC will be closely monitoring on-line comments. 

The police are now involved in JetGate and I can foresee more marches in the summer, this time probably involving one or more of the unions.

The temperature, without question, has been rising.

Even in my very closeted little world that stretches about as far as the end of the porch, I cannot help but fear that it could be a long, hot summer with disputes and disruption, perhaps worse.

So Cup Match comes just in time. It gives us four days away from the controversies — at least off the pitch — and time to relax and reflect. It gives us all time to cool off and to consider the implications of our actions. 

I know I will be cooling off with a few beers and the A/C ,plus a few favourite films. There will be a sign on the door that says ‘Do Not Disturb’.

Maybe we should all hang that sign somewhere and cool off.

PS. Out of interest I am all in favour of stopping anonymous online comments and have been for some time. One of the biggest issues is ‘time spent on site’ , that is the average time one person stays on a website for.

Combined with the overall number of web hits, it is an important factor in selling advertising space. It is likely that time on site will drop for many sites if there is no anonymity.

Yet anonymity creates all sorts of problems for the media, especially in the area of defamation and the amount of time spent monitoring the comments.

An interesting conundrum. 

Jeremy Deacon runs public relations firm Deep Blue Communications, www.DeepBlueCommunications.bm, and also writes on his personal views on the blog Bermuda Blue.