Comments on: BIU Thanks Workers For Storm Clean-Up

By: Raymond Ray

Raymond Ray — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 12:15:09 +0000

That is a logical explanation for the delay in re-opening the Botanical Gardens to the general public. I further believe it’s also about safety.
Can anyone imagine what kind of “stink” would be thrown at the Parks Dept. / O.B.A. for opening the Park knowing there was a possibility of a trees or limbs falling on someone? There are numerous large / and small trees that need to be shored before allowing anyone to lay under them having a picnic or whatever else they may enjoy doing in the comfort of the shady trees…

By: Believe

Believe — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:05:14 +0000

I think in fairness the reason for the closure of Botanical gardens and Arboretum may be more to do with the effort to save the mature trees than a simple ‘clean-up’ operation. Apart from heavy lifting equipment being on-site, the trees would then need to be braced and stabilised until the root system recovers.

By: Useless

Useless — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:01:05 +0000

Parks has over 160 employees plus some serious equipment…a week TOPs would do tje
Botanical Gardens…time for a new director of Parks and/or new Permanent Secretary

By: Ronald

Ronald — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:36:59 +0000

Yup, I knew he wouldn’t be able to help himself. Sad and pathetic at the same time.

By: Warship

Warship — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:17:00 +0000

Botanical Gardens is going to take 50 govt employees 3 months to clean it up.
A private landscaping company will take 20 private employees and clean it up in one week!
There lies the difference!

By: Takbir Karriem Sharrieff

Takbir Karriem Sharrieff — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:15:27 +0000

Thank you B.I.U. for protecting the workers rights through all the storms that we have had since you were formed…even the storms ….in a teacup ….as the gangesters …termed it….

By: Good for Goose and Gander

Good for Goose and Gander — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:28:02 +0000

Lickmychicken – agreed!

I thought what a ridiculous statement made by Mr. Furbert. Surely the private companies would be comprised of the very same stellar workers – you know the ones who show up and provide value for money. So what is Mr. Furbert really saying. I’d say that the private companies would do a better job! No 10 men on the job with 1 man holding the sign and the other 9 W&E (Watching and Earning). All 10 men would be opersting at a minumum of 75% capacity. A darn sight more productive than the current workforce standard.

By: SMH

SMH — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:11:39 +0000

The outside landscaping companies which would then be made up of Parks employees (who are now happier to be their own bosses and shareholders of their own Companies)do the work. The only difference the hardworking ones get rewarded and the lazy ones get fired

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:53:49 +0000

The president of BIU is correct if these service were privatize or out source and if there were no Parks or Public Works ; than surely they would have been overwhelmed with the task of clearing and cleaning up Bermuda in the aftermath of these storms. Not to mention the Bermuda regiment which is slanted to be down size. Than there was the role of the Lamb/Foggo facility which was there in case it was needed with the causeway closed. The big question which is not been asked is the situation of our power system and how vulnerable Bermuda’s electric power source is having to depend on over head lines to connect Bermuda it’s electric power source. The warning was made quite clear in the aftermath of hurricane Emily which struck Bermuda in the 1980′s. That was over 20 years ago and had the will had been there; by now with underground lines some of this disruption would have been minimize. What makes us think; no matter how hard our Belco workers worked to put our system in place and how lucky we are to be able to depend on help from our Caribbean cousins. The day may arrive that a hurricane make strike both our areas; where they will have to stay home and look after their own countries; than what Bermuda?

By: Raymond Ray

Raymond Ray — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:46:09 +0000

They aren’t unionized.In other words, they are not brothers nor sisters contributing to Mr. Chris Furbert and other staff members wages. Sad yes, but true

By: SMH

SMH — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 11:54:57 +0000

Anyone who honestly thinks that an outside landscaping company with the same amount of manpower as Parks couldn’t have done the same amount of work not only faster but also for significantly less money, with no overtime, needs to have their head examined….or is a civil servant themselves.

By: Onion

Onion — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 09:59:52 +0000

Someone needs to tell Mr. Furbert about BELCO.

By: bluebird

bluebird — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 04:56:19 +0000

And we are still a “DEBTOR” Island/country.
we owe “BILLIONS” and still dont have a Balanced budget and no way to pay off the HUGE DEBT.
Any suggestions there “FURBY” or the ilke in the BIU/PLP.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 03:45:40 +0000

Belco, telco and cablevision ARE private.

What he should have said is “no publicly controlled entity could have carried out the restoration work so efficiently”. I’m sure that’s what he meant.

By: High road

High road — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:32:57 +0000

Great statement up to the last paragraph

By: Varied

Varied — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:22:52 +0000

He’s likely giving credit to the workers in those privately run companies that are part of the BIU, as opposed to the companies themselves.

By: Warship

Warship — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:15:09 +0000

Thankyou sailors of The HMS Argylll. It is comforting that you were able to assist.Thanyou!

By: somuchless

somuchless — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:30:39 +0000

In short, they’re foreigners. Need I say more.

By: Naive Observer

Naive Observer — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:23:05 +0000

Mr. Furbert,

Many of the entities you list ARE private companies.

I have no doubt that local construction and landscape firms could have done much of the work that W&E did.

By: Franklin jr

Franklin jr — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:48:33 +0000

Was the BIU billed for the time? Did the fire service use any inventory from the government stores?

By: Strike fund

Strike fund — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:30:43 +0000

You forgot to thank the crew of the HMS Argyle.

By: el presidenti

el presidenti — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:36:18 +0000

……and don’t forget to pay your dues as new suits are badly needed!

By: LickMyChicken

LickMyChicken — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:13:10 +0000

“With the Government’s continued insistence that privatization, outsourcing, and mutualisation is the way forward, I contend that no private company would have been able to carry out the restoration work that was required in such a short space of time,” finished Mr. Furbert.

Really? Then why it took so long to build the sidewalk on North Shore near C-Mart, why did it take so long to build the wall at the Paget stop lights near Harmony Club, why did it take so long to build the wall near Waterlot and why doesn’t the trash truck pick up on the days it they are supposed too and I say this because most days they’re either late or don’t show up at all.