Money and "correct" behaviour can hide a multitude of sins.
Tax havens, sunshine and flexible laws attract the wealthy and correct appearing shadys of this world. Somerset Maugham once famously described Monaco as a sunny place for shady people. the same phrase can easily be applied to Bermuda. But, even less than in Monaco, you wouldnt necessarily know that on the surface.
The surface seen by north american visitors on a 3 day cruise shop over is incredibly civilised. The people are all well dressed, in a formal and conservative way. in fact you can easily spot the tourists, as they stand out in their cheap, un-ironed clothes. yes, the men really do wear those shorts, but not in the same way people abroad do. Bermuda shorts in Bermuda are part of a whole ritual of dress. you cant just wear the shorts, you have to have the well pressed button up shirt, normally a tie and jacket as well, and ABSOLUTELY the socks. the socks come in a variety of colours- they are frequently navy or black, but other colours can be seen too, especially if they match the shirt or tie. the shoes are always formal, quality leather shoes, never sandals or trainers. all in all, it is intended to be a formal look, and it is worn in all occasions, although i have to say that seeing a squad of HSBC bankers going on their lunch break looked rather like a group of colonial school boys from, say, South Africa, than the men they actually were. the women are equally formally dressed, although never in those shorts. there is little obvious poverty. housing prices are absurdly high even by London standards, yet people can afford it as average salaries are among the highest in the world and there is no income tax. the people are exceptionally polite, greeting you in stores and even wishing you a pleasant day randomly on the street. I could go on: the beaches are pristine, the restaurants excellent, albeit expensive....but that is not of course the whole picture. dodgy people abound as well, discreetly hidden by the civilised exterior that covers the very serious underworld. For tourists, Bermuda is one of the safest travel destinations in the world. but the day i arrive there is a drive by underworld shooting. some days later, a suspected murdered is busted by secret police, just as the british airways jet he was on was taxing on the runway, preparing for take off. someone i know tells seriously dodgy stories of drugs, prostitution and rape in some of Hamilton's most exclusive properties. someone else describes being confined to a well-known 5 star resort under police protection ahead of a court case.
despite pristine appearances, colonial school boys, it seems, sometimes run amuck.
