I am very disgusted to see BTC pushing up their rates on the private telephone. Business can afford it, OK, but the poor people of Bermuda just cannot afford it now -- to go without other things just so they have that telephone in the house.

Do you think that is fair on the senior citizens who live on a fixed budget? These people must have a phone if they live alone. It's their life line to outside. How can the BTC be so callous just so they can make money.

On a pleasant note I have just passed the Warwick Pond and can now see the pond as they are cutting down the bushes which hid the pond. Now when they get it all down, we shall see what a beauty we had behind those bushes. Thank you who ever is responsible for that.

MAYFLOWER Devonshire MPs are not exempted January 11, 1999 Dear Sir, You published a letter to the Editor today which suggested that MPs are not subject to Customs search at the Airport when they return to Bermuda.

This is a rumour which seems to crop up every couple of years, but which is no more correct now than it was the last time we denied it.

All Bermudians are subject to clearance by Immigration and Customs officials when they return to the Island. This applies to MPs just as it does to anyone else.

All Bermudians must fill out the required Immigration and Customs forms, and all Bermudians are liable to have their luggage inspected. Any Bermudian who has something to declare must pay duty.

Customs and Immigration officials, at their discretion, may extend to dignitaries of one type or another the courtesy of being dealt with more quickly than might be the norm. If one of these individuals has nothing to declare, for example, he or she might be allowed to leave the baggage hall as quickly as a visitor normally does.

However, that should not detract from the fact that there is most emphatically no blanket immunity for MPs from scrutiny by Customs and Immigration officials.

GAVIN SHORTO Director of Information Services Editor's Note: While there may be no blanket immunity, the previous letter writer shared the view of many in the community that a "blanket courtesy'' is granted. Members of Parliament must decide if the convenience of passing through the Airport more quickly than non-VIPs is worth the public perception that they see themselves as being above the law.

Taxis were missing January 2, 1999 Dear Sir, I felt I had to write this letter after constant advertising in the media about Don't Drink and Drive in your newspaper as well as on radio and TV.

I am not a drinker, I am always the designated driver. I decided to give my son the car as he was travelling to Dockyard from Paget and we were only going to Hamilton to celebrate New Year's Eve. My husband wanted to take the truck and I would then drive it back, a seven minute drive from the club. I said not the truck, we will get a taxi as I thought there would be many of them available.

After a lovely evening of celebrating, it was time to depart. The club we were at tried to call for a taxi, but they did not even answer the phone at 1.30 a.m. We decided to walk down Bermudiana Road to Front Street, all the way to Parliament Street, there was not a taxi available.

At Number 1 Shed there were many people waiting, as well as all along Front Street. We went into another club, had a drink then tried again. Still only the odd taxi which was taken immediately. There were all ages of people on Front Street who were waiting a long time for taxis which were in short supply.

We arrived home just after 3.30 a.m., after finally obtaining a taxi at King Street, which is a five minute ride to our house from Front Street.

The point of this letter is that traffic safety preaches the message "Don't Drink and Drive'' but the taxi companies are unable to cope with large crowds.

If buses were put on to try and provide rides, then the taxi drivers would complain! A year or two ago free taxis were provided by Government, to ensure a safe way home for New Year's Eve revellers.

The service proved to be very efficient and satisfactory. Someone should form a club to provide safe rides for those persons who need the service at any time of the year.

I pity the people who were on the outskirts of Hamilton, as I imagine taxis were non-existent.

How many taxis are licensed to be on the road? How many hours are they "by law'' required to be on the road? Are the laws being adhered too? Who is responsible for ensuring that the taxis are on the road for the required hours? What is going to happen on December 31, 1999 going into the Millennium Year 2000? I believe there will be big celebrating on Front Street, and I forecast that there will be many stranded revellers, unless something is done about the poor taxi service we receive.

I am aware that there are many conscientious taxi drivers out there and this is not meant to reflect on them.

ROBINS Paget Hooray for bus driver January 6, 1999 Dear Sir, It was a typical January morning in Bermuda, dark, drizzly, damp and chilly.

The 7.10 Number Three bus out of Flatts was filling with the regular riders.

We even had our usual Wednesday driver, Mr. Robinson. To all intents and purposes, an ordinary day.

What made this day eligible for a "life on the bus'' entry was the actions of our bus driver. The bus came upon a stop where a young mom, her baby, and all the paraphernalia that comes with an infant attempted to board the bus. What our driver did in a flash was place the bus safely in park and assist this woman, her precious cargo, and equipment to a seat near the front.

If you were busy talking with your seat mate or looking out of the window you would have missed him assisting this woman. He did it so effortlessly and efficiently. I, for one, did not miss his act of kindness and it was that act that prompted a memory of a bumper sticker observed long ago which said: "Practise Random Acts of Kindness''. Thank you, Mr. Robinson, for reminding me with your actions to do just that.

MICHAEL C. MCDONOUGH Smith's Parish Boards were exclusionary January 7, 1999 Dear Sir, Surely your Editorial (January 6) was not suggesting that there was anything unusual about a single individual being placed on multiple Boards? There are scores (at least, perhaps hundreds) of Bermudians with expertise, skills, interests, competencies -- whatever -- who, in the past, have been deliberately, insultingly, excluded from participating or contributing.

Barriers were maintained. Those you are concerned about, including the "Brian Halls'' have had, at least, some opportunity of serving, contributing and being acknowledged. There is no great tragedy in their being replaced.

The real tragedy is with those who have died without ever having been given those opportunities and with those who have had to spend all of their energies challenging the injustices and unfairness of the previous Government rather than being given the opportunity to develop and exercise their skills. Bermuda belongs to all Bermudians, not only to those who met the approval of the previous Government. Bermudians need to learn that skills and expertise are often developed and improved with use and many of the so-called "experts'' to whom we pay thousands of dollars are experts only because they have been able to develop and exercise their expertise.

One day we will be Independent, but it will not be an Independence based on the skills of imported experts or on the very limited number of Bermudians who met the approval of the previous Government. Neither are conflicts of interest a new phenomenon. We can only hope that this Government, having more integrity than the previous Government, will find ways in which to minimise the kind of corruption which we all seem to have taken for granted in the past.

EVA N. HODGSON Bailey's Bay Persistence paid off January 7, 1999 Dear Sir, Congratulations again to our Premier, the first elected woman Premier, the Honourable Jennifer M. Smith, and her team.

It goes to show you that perseverance pays off. After coaxing from the St.

George's branch of the Bermuda PLP, she first ran as a candidate in 1972 in a UBP stronghold district. At a young age of 24, she was the youngest woman to ever run for Parliament. But she was unsuccessful.

Her second time around, in the year 1976, she also was unsuccessful but gained 20 percent more votes than before.

In the 1980 she ran for Parliament again, still no luck. The leader of the PLP at that time, Lois Browne Evans, recognising her potential, put her in the Senate. She was the youngest and first woman ever to be in the Senate.

In 1983, unsuccessful in the polls, she became the Shadow Minister of Youth Sport and Recreation.

In 1985 election she was the only PLP candidate who gained an increased percentage on votes. This also was the year PLP had their disagreements, which caused their split within the party, and the third party was formed out of it, which is the NLP.

In 1989, her sixth attempt at the polls, she came away victorious. After all the hard work by her and her dedicated working team who stood by her since 1972.

She also topped the polls in St. George's North that year, a first for the PLP ever. She has risen over the years to the top. Congrats Madam Premier As the saying goes "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again''.

L. A. FOGGO St. George's Upset by return policy December 29, 1998 Dear Sir, I consider myself to be the average Christmas shopper with the majority of my shopping done before the holiday with a few last-minute gifts to be bought the week prior to Christmas Day. I rarely buy a gift for someone that is on sale, or that cannot be returned or exchanged if the person shouldn't want what I have chosen for them.

Like many shoppers, I had a few returns of my own after Christmas and I wanted to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales that always occur. However, I was completely stunned when returning gifts at Trimingham's, when they insisted on giving me value at the current 50 percent reduced sale price instead of the original value of the item. I did not have a receipt of purchase, however the sales tag that had been left on the item had the original price paid.

I do not understand how anyone can justify taking half of the purchase price off an item because it was returned after Christmas when they were having a sale. I know the person who bought it for me paid the full price, yet I could only get an exchanged credit for half of its original value. I know the store owners realise that most people do not give a gift with the receipt of what they paid for it in the box. It is also rare that the recipient of a gift will ask the giver for a receipt so that they can return an item.

The ironic part about all of this is that they can turn around and offer clearance prices the day after Christmas of up to 50 percent. After my experience, along with the long line of people returning gifts in Triminghams, I seriously wonder if they have their post-Christmas sales, to benefit customers, or to make money off of the Christmas returns.

I'm sure I will eventually read in the newspaper about how retail sales for Christmas were sluggish or down from last year etc. and how local retailers will encourage Bermudians to shop more at home. But one of the main reasons I would shop for Christmas gifts at home is to give the person I buy the present for, the option to return the gift and get something for the equivalent purchase value. I guess I should start gift wrapping the receipts along with the gift? STILL SHOPPING ABROAD Pembroke