Having just experienced the trauma of moving from one apartment to another, let me dispel those stories about no service in Bermuda.

We all hear horror stories about trying to get plumbers and electricians, or if we do get one they never show up. So when I needed both, I too, reeled in horror as to who I was going to get and when. I thought, try the Yellow Pages and go on from there. To my utter amazement I managed to get hold of Mr.

Tucker, a plumber from Somerset, who told me that he did have several other jobs but would see what he could do. He arrived two hours later that same day and did very efficiently (and quickly) what needed to be done. Then I called Telford Electric and told them what I wanted. The next day, Saturday afternoon no less, a very efficient lady, Mrs. Bean, called me just to re-confirm what I wanted and said that she would try to get someone to me on either Monday or Tuesday. She called me Monday morning and said that an electrician would be there within the hour. He was -- Rudy Smith, who completed my "wish list'' in two hours.

Accolades also have to go to Standard Hardware who delivered an electric stove to me within 24 hours after I found out that the major appliance store who had sold me one originally, never even had it in stock, and of course, Cheryl from Darrell Contracting who is `Wonder Woman' personified. Thank you to all of those people. Thumbs down to the ones who let me down -- you know who you are! BTC if you are reading this, I'm still waiting! After a week I did get my number transferred, but I am still waiting for a service call.

CAROL CARVALHO Southampton A sign of the times September 25, 2000 Dear Sir, This letter is in connection to a little fender bender on Court Street, nearer to the Victoria Street stop lights that took place on Friday, September 22, at about 11.30 a.m.

I was parking my white car, with indicator on and reverse lights, as well as putting my right hand out of the window to indicate to the car behind of my intentions to park, three indications of my intentions. A navy blue Mitsubishi station wagon driven by a middle aged woman hit me from behind, indicated verbally that she did not know I was parking and drove off. Unfortunately, I did not get the car number as the traffic was very thick, and a tractor trailer blocked the number from my immediate view.

All I am asking for is for the lady driving this car, to please call me, to apologise at least, it is the principle of the matter. My car received $300 worth of damage, no not much, but on Bermuda's roads let's have the courtesy that if we hit someone's vehicle, have the respect and decency to stop to see if any damage was done. I have reported the incident to the Police, and they are aware of this incident, and investigations are being carried out.

If anyone knows anyone who fits the description of the above car and driver, encourage her to call, even if just to apologise. I know she knows who she is, but I am a strong believer in what goes around comes around, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Madam, should you feel moved to call my telephone number is 235-5224.

MRS. BURGESS Warwick Time for Gordon to go September 20, 2000 Dear Sir, There is a saying, which says, "Enough is enough.'' I've been refraining from going this far, but the time has come when I finally have to cast my hat in the ring with those who have called for the resignation of Ms Gordon from the leadership of the United Bermuda Party. It's time for her to go. Coming up to the last General Election, Ms Gordon said in St. George's Town Hall, that Bermuda had black leadership under the UBP Government, with herself being the Premier and Mr. Dill the Deputy. That was nonsense! Around the same time, a whole page was used in The Royal Gazette concerning that Nelson Mandela affair. That was a foul. It was a blow below the belt. She deserved to lose the election on that point alone, and she did. Soon after the Election, she was absent from the Remembrance Day Parade. "Believe it or not,'' comes to mind.

Mr. Editor in The Royal Gazette , Saturday September 16, 2000; Page two, is an article; "Gordon accuses Government of being hypocritical.'' The article was about Ms Gordon's reason for being absent from a ceremony at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. The ceremony was dedicated to her late father, Dr. E.F.

Gordon, when a ward was named after him.

Around the time of the ceremony, I did see the pictures of some of Dr.

Gordon's family in The Royal Gazette , and wondered about Ms. Gordon and her sister as to why they were not in the picture.

According to the article Ms Gordon stayed away in protest at Government's "hypocrisy'' towards foreigners. She accused Government of having a meeting in which they lashed out at all non-Bermudians that don't belong here and don't have a right to status. She accused Government of sending a message to foreigners saying, "go home, we don't want you here.'' She said that she found it hypocritical for Government to have the dedication to her father, who was a foreigner, the same week in which they had a meeting blasting non-Bermudians, saying they should leave the country.

Mr. Editor, I found Ms Gordon's reason for her so-called protest to be a smoke screen. Her argument has no weight whatsoever. It can be torn to shreds point by point. It does not make any kind of sense. It is nonsense. It is time for her to go.

I wonder how long it is going to take Mr. Dunkley to ask her to resign the leadership of the Party. Let her turn the leadership of the party to Dr.

Gibbons and Mr. Barritt.

Before she leaves, let me say that I agree with her on another point and that is -- the Government should have taken the lead to bring the White Paper to the people.

RENDOL JAMES Sandys Parish A shining example September 22, 2000 Dear Sir, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the parents involved to publicly thank Mr. Wendall `Shine' Hayward, for his role with our sons who play in the band Mahogony.

It is no secret that `Shine' has served our community well over the years, in various capacities, but always with reference to music. In July of this year he took a group of young people to Lyme Regis in England, a group including our sons and about a dozen other young people making up the National Youth Jazz Ensemble. That trip, which was organised by a committee chaired by Melvin Basset and funded by the Blackie Talbot Golf Charity Fund proved to be a great success.

In preparation for the trip `Shine' spent many hours preparing both groups. In the lead up to the recent Bermuda Jazz Festival, he spent at least ten days straight, with at least two hours per day, putting Mahogany through their paces for that event. Wendall did all of this without any fee or salary, at a time when he is re-assessing his own career. For those whose children do take music, we are well aware of the value of this contribution.

`Shine' did this out of his love for music and our Island's young people in general and our children were lucky enough to be recipients of that service.

In this time of challenge to a sense of community `Shine' is putting into practice the African proverb, `it takes a village...'. Of course our community will only thrive when enough of us give that bit extra. On a personal note I must commend my son's piano teacher Kenneth `Tokey' Dill. Mandela came up in the very good system of Suzuki piano classes, but a couple of years ago dropped out. (As happens to boys as adolescence approaches.) `Tokey' volunteered to come to our home and offer him a free service on learning any of type of music that he wanted to play.

These examples of freely sharing across the generations, point the way for building a sense of community to enhance our island's future. On behalf of the parents listed below, I wish to thank Wendall Hayward and encourage him to continue to let his light `Shine'.

Parents: Dale Butler & June Hill; Michael & Velda Charles; Ray & Sharon Edness; Deonne Fubler & Myself; Warren & Winifred Simmons; Charles Jr. & Jenny Swan.

GLENN FUBLER Smith's Parish See through it all September 17, 2000 Dear Sir, Government produced a Green Paper calling for open discussion of the subject.

It then arranged meetings where, to quote the Green Paper "the views of all will be listened to and heard''. The meetings were disrupted by militant trade unionists.

Trade unions are aligned with which political party? Perhaps there is transparency in Government after all.

GO FIGURE Driven to despair September 26, 2000 Dear Sir, I read with some interest your headline article in today's paper "Public urged to back tourism''. I then listened with even more interest later that evening when some house guests staying at my mother's told us how a taxi driver refused to accept their fare, because their son had a bit of beach sand on his bucket.

I've long suspected many Bermudians have some sort of perverse love affair with their vehicles but this seems too incredulous for words. First of all this person is in the front line of our Tourism industry. Secondly, isn't your job to drive people if you operate a taxi? Instead this twit chose to interrogate them like some Gestapo officer to see if they were all dry, only to focus on some sand and refuse entry into his sacred little vehicle. If he's so paranoid about sand in his taxi maybe he should avoid all fares and just sit on Front Street all day and read the paper.

I strongly suspect this self-serving driver probably didn't want to go out of his own lazy way to drive from Elbow Beach to Flatts. I only regret our friends did not think to take his operator number, but then I doubt any reporting to TCD would have any real effect.

I for one will make more of an effort to give our few visitors lifts whenever I possibly can. If Taxi drivers don't want to work then why should anyone patronise such lousy ambassadors.

AMAZED! Smith's Parish