I recently spent time in hospital, on the Cooper Ward, and was very impressed with the work of the nursing staff there. Nursing is sure one of the most challenging professions one can pursue. Nurses must tend to patients' medical, hygienic and psychological needs. This last necessity is especially difficult, since depression and anxiety often accompany physical illness.

I watched the nurses on Cooper Ward work full-time with hardly a rest; they were short-staffed the entire time I was there. In spite of this, however, they remained at all times caring, concerned and pleasant professionals. Most of them also managed to maintain a great sense of humour.

It is impossible to overstate the difference a kind, confident, nurturing nurse can make when one is feeling frightened and vulnerable. Accordingly, I feel an enormous amount of gratitude, respect and admiration for the nurses of Cooper Ward.

THE ENGLISH (COLONIAL) PATIENT Warwick Sweeping judgment March 16, 1999 Dear Sir, Your Supreme Court report of this day referring to the sentencing of a 29-year-old, former Berkeley Institute student for burglary quotes chief Justice Austin Ward as saying, "Berkeley used to be a school that produced people with personal pride.. .Now they go fighting on fields...I don't know what's happening with that place.'' Apart from being guilty of the most injudicious sweeping judgment of "that place'', if the Chief Justice does indeed not know "what's happening'' at The Berkeley Institute then he must have little conception of what is happening in the state of Bermuda. This is not an advantageous position for a Chief Justice to hold. Perhaps he should find out, or else his judgment may be tainted with ignorance, or prejudice.

R.I. WEBBER Hamilton Parish Quiet on post office March 13, 1999 Dear Sir, I would like to ask what is happening about a new Post Office in Paget. It was on the books and Tim Smith had almost finalised the details and now -- has it been shelved? That particular piece of road is a death trap -- two cars and two bikes and it's crowded and don't try to cross any road near that junction unless you have a death wish. Have the PLP gone quiet on this on purpose? And you hope to win Paget W. I don't think so.

P. THOMAS City of Hamilton Time to be positive March 18, 1999 Dear Sir, I just want to remind the people of Bermuda the importance of positivity.

So often I hear that there is nothing to do... "Bermuda is Boring''. So let's talk about what has happened this winter to improve this 1999.

Restaurants: Over the last year many restaurants have remodelled or improved.

How about these for starters: Port of Call, Fresco's (used to be Chancery Wine Bar), Pickled Onion, Fisherman's Reef, Caliban's, Docksider's, Hogpenny and Monty's. Plus with all the rest of our great restaurants we have the best dining in the Caribbean (not that we are a Caribbean country but we always get compared to the islands down south!) How about new changes at Surf Club. Jimmy Keys supported by local talent and the new Bermuda Triangle Brew Pub. And $60 million in renovations at Elbow is a big upgrade so Bermuda finally has a first class hotel.

Many of our hotels this year are planning a lot more local outdoor entertainment, such as Sonesta Beach, Ariel Sands, The Reefs and Elbow Beach.

There'll be a new show at Southampton Princess, plus Hawkins' Island is going wild with Sunday afternoon parties and raft-ups, plus a brand new theme party to replace The Pirate Party. "Don't Stop The Carnival''! In Dockyard they continue to upgrade and put on many great events throughout the year, plus Windjammer Watersports is a well-organised place for jet-skiing and loads of other fun things to do on the water. The east end is well represented, too, with Coral Sea Cruises and Blue Water Divers and Jet Skis at Marriott. We have a lot to be proud of here: great theatre, go-kart racing, good fun pubs and bars, discoes, sporting activities, great golf courses, fishing, water tours and shopping. We also have more churches per square mile than any other place on the planet! Then there's the natural stunning beauty of our paradise "Bermuda''.

The wonderful charming friendliness of its people with a renewed sense of purpose thanks to Jennifer Smith and the PLP.

We have a bright intelligent Opposition to keep government on its toes! We have a very thriving offshore business community and their contribution to every segment of life here is invaluable. Their presence together with many other private wealthy residents contributes handsomely to charities, etc.

So I say let's all start singing our praises and be positive. Our new Bermuda depends a lot on all of us to do our part. I wish everyone a wonderful and successful season in 1999.

TONY BRANNON City of Hamilton Cultivating controversy March 18, 1999 Dear Sir, I have a mature orchard but why can't I plant new citrus? We do have a serious problem with citrus disease so to protect ourselves the experts banned importation of citrus plants for many years. We have tripled our problem (lack of abundant quality citrus) by preventing new planting. We now find ourselves in a silly, perhaps embarrassing, stalemate situation thus proposing radical solutions.

The idea of destroying all older trees is ridiculous. People are more than "attached to their trees''. Perhaps it's because they took many many years to mature and thus are worth a heck of a lot of money and produce excellent fruit! Not to mention that they have been cared for (a huge investment) and passed down generation to generation in many cases. A significant premium is often paid for a property because of its citrus.

The viruses got here in the first place so why wouldn't they again? Even with the best intentions (after the gross assumption that we could eliminate the virus by killing trees) the viruses could still return. That would be real smart...we just wiped out thousands of the Island's Bermuda oranges, grapefruits and limes and now oh no! our young plants which will take years to produce, have the virus! Ag & Fish should import large amounts of top quality certified virus-free citrus plants from somewhere with real resources like Florida for local growers to purchase. Cultivating and releasing relatively minute amounts of virus-free plants and then stating that "it's only a matter of time before they get infected'' is negative. Surely we must promote planting immediately to enjoy new fruit in the future. Let the Government experts continue to work on the virus issue scientifically, while the growers apply common sense -- heavy quality planting and maintenance will reap rewards and make up for the damage caused by the self-imposed ban which ironically promoted local propagation of virus strains.

PHILOSPHER Paget Beware of flying golfballs March 14, 1999 Dear Sir, I write to you with hopes that one of your readers help solve a mystery for me, and perhaps at the same time avert a possible disaster.

I recently moved to a home in Paget, on Stowe Hill Road. For the last few months I've been finding golfballs on my lawn. Thinking they were there since the previous owner I just tossed them in the trash as I found them. Well to my great surprise, and considerable shock, I was nearly hit by a golf ball earlier today. As I worked in the garden the ball struck the ground with a great crack not 15 feet from where I stood. It then bounced and hit my house narrowly missing a window! Stowe Hill is miles from the nearest golf course, therefore it must be someone in the neighbourhood taking practice shots. Needless to say I am now very concerned with my safety in my own garden, and my windows. I am also deeply concerned that a traveller on Stowe Hill Road may be hit by one of these errant balls! Please, whomever is responsible, use some common sense and stop this foolishness before you really cause some serious damage to property and/or injury to innocent people.

KEVIN PANTRY Paget P.S. The ball in question today is a new look Titleist 1, stamped "Port Royal Bermuda''.

Ashamed for you March 15, 1999 Dear Sir, I read your letter today and was ashamed for you. You would claim to know from experience that the "kids'' enjoy this sport. How much experience do you have? Are you aware that the drivers' ages are from nine to 70, or don't you care? While I am aware that your mentality would quote "youth is wasted on the young'', wisdom did surely not find you. I guess it would be going too far to suggest that you "live and let live,'' I don't think you could possibly understand this quotation. You have cried down a family unit, with many families having three generations represented at its functions. In an age where family values have gone off the hill, I think we do a great job at trying to reunite some of these values, teach respect and obey the rules. A terrible thing for us to do I am sure.

Yeah, a small section of town was shut for six hours -- no more Beat the Retreat, Harbour Nights, Butterfield Mile, pedal cycle races or are you only discriminating against karting? If you really need the facts I would say our crowds were closer to the 10,000 mark not three. This should only make you angrier because such a large section of our society supported us. Our humble apologies for any inconvenience we caused you (you seem to be the only one -- are you lonely yet?).

Not ashamed or embarrassed by my opinions, I will sign my name! VICKI A. ROBINSON City of Hamilton