Bermuda - Essential

In an exciting initiative from the Department of Tourism, ten of the top taxi drivers in London will be feeling the love and spreading the warmth of the Bermudian sunshine in pink taxis.

To ensure that passengers get to enjoy the full Bermuda experience, the ten lucky drivers will come to experience our Island’s pink sand beaches and crystal blue waters first hand. These drivers will return to London ready to be Bermuda’s newest ambassadors.

“This is the first time we’ve undertaken anything like this in the UK,” says William Griffith, Director of Tourism. “The British market is of significant importance to us and this year, we intend to renew our efforts and bring a little slice of our beautiful island to the UK.”

Painted pink and adorned with the phrase ‘Feel the love’ and Bermuda’s famous shorts, these taxis will bring a piece of island life to the city. The taxis will be further supported from April to June and September to November with an additional 100 taxis with the feel the love branding on the side panels.

The Governor, Sir Richard Gozney, will honour 12 residents for deeds of heroism at the Bermuda Bravery Awards ceremony at Government House on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 6 pm.

In addition to a highly dangerous rescue during the high speed Round the Island Race, this year’s list features other dramatic feats, involving both young and old.

Examples include:

• The life-saving of two female cruise ship passengers caught in a dangerous rip current.
• The successful rescue of a toddler drowning in a swimming pool.
• Two Botanical Gardens workers who valiantly tried to save a co-worker by performing CPR after finding the man unconscious..
• Two boaters who risked their own lives in saving a fellow boater after his craft exploded in flames.

Since its re-birth 14 years ago, the Bermuda Bravery Award Association has recognized more than 200 individuals for bravery or life-saving.

Association president Mark Selley pointed out that his committee is not empowered to nominate names for heroism and that under the constitution of the Bermuda Bravery Award Association; all names must be submitted by members of the public.

The 12 recipients this year will receive a cedar-framed certificate from the Governor, listing their feat of heroism.

Their names were submitted by the public and emergency organizations and were judged by a cross-section of Bermudians who comprise the Bermuda Bravery Awards Association.

The Bermuda Bravery Awards Association was re-formed in 1995 after lying dormant for a number of years. Its mission is to establish a more positive and caring approach to recognizing those who go above and beyond the call of duty in helping others during life-threatening situations.

Copies of award proposal forms are available from Mark Selley.

For further information call Mark Selley on 334-8487 or 293-3121.

The Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) is advising that the Island will experience severe and unsettled weather conditions over the course of tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday.

Late this afternoon, the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) met to discuss public safety precautions. Residents are advised that starting late Wednesday morning, wind and rain will steadily increase throughout the day and into the evening.

It is anticipated that throughout Wednesday the Island will experience wind gusts over 50 knots.

Severe weather will continue into Thursday, and the Island can expect to experience storm force winds, gusting to hurricane force, until around midday on Thursday.

The public is advised that the Causeway remains open. At the onset of the severe conditions, the Causeway will be closely monitored by the Bermuda Police Service and the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

All Government offices will be open for business on Wednesday morning.

In the interest of public safety the Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, Sen. the Hon. Lt. Col. David Burch encourages all motorists, particularly cyclists to use “extreme caution” over the next two days when moving about the Island.

Additionally, residents are being advised to secure all boats, as well as outdoor furniture, garbage bins and any other items that could be blown about by the wind.

The public will be updated regularly throughout Wednesday and Thursday on further weather related developments.

To get the latest weather updates and advisories this weekend the public is encouraged to visit www.weather.bm or watch the local weather station on CableVision channel 4 or WOW channel 100. Alternatively members of the public can call the following numbers:

• For the Public Forecast Dial 977
• For the Current Observation Dial 9771
• For the Marine Forecast Dial 9772
• For latest Warnings & Tropical Information Dial 9773

Premier Ewart Brown and Mrs Brown were the official honoured guests last evening as HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud hosted the Third Annual Khalediah Horse Show outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Prince, who owns the Elbow Beach hotel, is an avid horse breeder and owns more than 1000 Arabian horses around the world.

“Wanda and I were honoured to have been invited by His Royal Highness to this important event. Prince Khaled reminded us of his long association with Bermuda and seemed excited about the future of Elbow Beach,” Premier Brown said.

The horse show will run through Friday. The Premier will have a lunch meeting with Prince Khaled on Thursday before departing for the United States on Friday.

The Bermuda Department of Tourism is delighted to announce that Bermuda has won first place for Wreck Diving and third place for both Snorkeling and Diving for Beginners in Scuba Diving magazine’s 2010 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Premier and Minister of Tourism and Transport Dr. the Hon. Ewart Brown said, “We consider it an honour for Bermuda to be recognized by the readers of Scuba Diving magazine. This is also reminder to all Bermudians that we must respect and preserve our beautiful reefs and wrecks for all to enjoy.”

The survey was conducted in 2009 with over 5,000 Scuba Diving readers from all over the globe submitted their rankings.

Bermuda has over 400 historic wrecks, with some dating back to the 15th century. Popular sites include:

• The Constellation – 4-masted wooden schooner built in 1918. She sank in 1943 while en route from New York to Venezuela with a cargo that included cement, whisky, and drug ampoules. She was the inspiration for the Goliath in Peter Benchley’s novel The Deep.
• L’Herminie – French 3-masted wooden warship that sank in 1838 while sailing from France to Cuba.
• Hermes – US Navy freighter built in WWII and scuttled by the government in 1985 for use as a dive site.

Two of the best places for snorkelling in Bermuda are Church Bay in Southampton Parish and Tobacco Bay in St George’s Parish.

Tobacco Bay is shown in the video below:

Premier Ewart Brown issued a statement yesterday concerning issues with Bermuda’s taxi industry. Government is particularly concerned that taxi drivers are not using GPS services as required by law and have not been delivering services on public holidays such as Cup Match and Remembrance Day.

Here’s the statement in full:

Good afternoon,

Thank you

Bermudian reggae artist Collie Buddz will headline a free New Year’s Eve party in Hamilton.

The event on Front Street will begin at 6.30 pm with the family movie ‘Home Alone’ and go on until around 3 am.

New Year will be ushered in with the dropping of a giant Bermuda onion and a fireworks display.

Over 8,000 revellers are expected to attend.

The event is being sponsored by the Corporation of Hamilton.

Glenn Jones has been announced as the new general manager of Bermuda.com Ltd.

Mr. Jones is the former press secretary to Premier Dr. Ewart Brown while Bermuda.com, one of the island’s main Internet portals, is a well-established information and business resource for visitors and locals.

Mr. Jones will manage content, introduce new features and oversee the functionality of the site with a view to increasing traffic and profitability.

He said: “I’ve worked in newspapers, television and radio but the Internet is the hottest of all mediums; I’m excited about this opportunity. I’m going to throw every ounce of my creativity into it.”

Bermuda.com comes under the MediaHouse umbrella and its sister companies include the Bermuda Sun and Island Press.

Pamela Quarterly, executive vice president of corporate operations for MediaHouse, said: “Glenn’s a wonderful fit for the MediaHouse team. He brings exuberance, experience, excitement and a ‘can-do’ spirit. Glenn is very enthusiastic and he has lots of ideas. ”

The Bermuda.com website was re-launched in July and a host of new features were added.

Mr. Jones said there is plenty of room for further growth, adding: “We have a crowded marketplace in Bermuda so the only way to make a dent is to truly stand out and be exceptional. That’s what I’m striving for; to make Bermuda.com so exceptional that people are drawn to it.”

Mr. Jones, who won an Emmy as a TV reporter in the U.S., subsequently worked as a print journalist and a morning radio personality in Bermuda. He stepped down as press secretary to the Premier in September. While in the public sector he gained a wealth of knowledge in the tourism industry working with international press, hoteliers and other tourism industry professionals in Bermuda and abroad.

Today, the Bermuda Department of Tourism announced plans for the 2010 Bermuda International Love Festival.

Premierf Dr. Ewart Brown, who is also Minister of Tourism & Transport, said: “This is the fifth year for the Love Festival and I am more than pleased with how the event has grown over the years. The activities planned for this year are sure to entice couples to come and Feel the Love this Valentine’s weekend.”

The Bermuda International Love Festival is an annual weekend getaway flooded with romantic touches from evening cocktails and rounds of golf to great eats and dreamy serenades. It is the ultimate luxury love experience for the well-deserving couple. From February 12-14, 2010 couples will enjoy the plush accommodations and amenities of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess while being treated as preferential guests all weekend long.

This year, some of the festival’s highlights include:

• The Premier’s opening celebration featuring Robb Report’s “Best of the Best,” at the Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa followed by a performance by The Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, hosted by Robb Report
• Men’s and women’s golf at the newly renovated Port Royal Golf Course, home of the 2009 and 2010 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, hosted by GolfWorld Magazine
• An intimate dinner party at Port O’Call Restaurant
• Brunch at The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
• VIP seating for a performance by Grammy award-winner, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, sponsored by the Bermuda alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated
• Private performance by R&B legend, Chuck Jackson

To top it off, couples can let their hair down at any of Bermuda’s hottest nightclubs, or simply unwind at one of Bermuda’s renowned spas.

Travel packages to the 2010 International Love Festival cost $1,600.00 per couple and include an exclusive Gold Room at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess for three nights as well as all Love Festival activities. To revive your love connection in paradise this Valentine’s Day weekend with that special someone visit www.bermudalovefestival.com.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh left Bermuda today after a 3 day visit.

Premier Ewart Brown has issued the following statement:

‘Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh left Bermuda today after a whirlwind tour of the Island. Their presence here was a fitting marker to help us celebrate our 400th Anniversary.

I acknowledge the long relationship between Bermuda and Britain and appreciate that Bermuda was graced with the Royal Visit this year.

As Head of State, Her Majesty was welcomed by thousands of Bermudians – particularly schoolchildren who had the opportunity to see Her Majesty and HRH, the Duke along the many routes they took as part of their visit.

Her Majesty told me how impressed she was at seeing the growth of Bermuda; the cranes in Hamilton are a very visible indicator of the confidence that businesspeople continue to show in our Island home.

While there have been stories about the strain in relations between Britain and Bermuda. Her Majesty was gracious, as always, in acknowledging the warm bonds of friendship that exist between Britain and Bermuda.

I was pleased that the quality of the relationship was further strengthened by the friendly briefing that occurred at breakfast on Tuesday between some of our business leaders and the UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.’