Rain... and other problems.

Water. It's hard to believe that this, the most basic of resources is still a major issue for so many Bermudians.  For all of our technological advances in our small society, we have not managed to supply our households with enough water, and we have not found a permanent solution to the one resource that we should have absolutely no problem with. Late last week we had good rain, but it certainly is not enough. So far I have had to purchase water two times this summer - 3 loads each time. With a house of 6 adults and 1 infant, my shower-time is ever shorter, and flushing is limited.

Speaking of resources, what are we doing to cut down on our carbon footprint? What is happening at BELCO to move our society forward and away from our need for fossil fuels? Why aren't we exploring wind farms and wave power offshore? Is our society too large to facilitate such a move? Why aren't we signed up for any new forms of energy initiatives? Shouldn't our country be on the forefront of explorative energy production?

On the domestic front, we seem to be bogged down by issues that seemingly are not going away. Bermudians Against the Draft (BAD) are fighting a losing battle I fear. Strange thing is, that options were available (reserve Constabulary and Fire Dept.), and certainly we could cut down on the tax-payers burden and have a few roads repaired. Have you seen Serpentine Road lately? I have no problems if you don't want to be in the military, but I do believe that all 18 year olds should serve their country in one form or another. National service establishes pride in your country and gives young people a chance to develop skills that they wouldn't normally.

Last but not least, the employment scene is scary. More and more Bermudians (myself included) are seeking work (I am using multiple part-time jobs to get by). The issues here are many. With more people desperate for employment, crime will most certainly rise. We will have more people staying sick, because more people will be uninsured by not having basic insurance coverage. By the way... when are we going to have a national health plan? Shouldn't that, like access to water be a right of everyone? Times are tough, there is no doubt, and as we head into the doldrums of summer, it will be important for all of us to realize that Bermuda is not the same Bermuda most of us grew up in and we need to stop wanting it to be that way. Progress is painful.