Hutchings as the writer of a letter.

Hijacker is a hero March 2, 2001 Dear Sir, I noticed your article in today's paper about Mr. Powell and his, in my opinion, heroic intervention with his forklift on the BTC truck. For far too long we have been at the absolute mercy of BTC and their complete lack of service.

Since September 1, I have had nothing but irritation from almost every department of BTC that a residential customer would have to go through. Here's a brief list: 1. Calling multiple times to get my billing address changed.

2. Calling multiple times to get my old line disconnected.

3. Receiving a threatening letter for payment of a line I requested months ago to be disconnected.

4. Calling multiple times to get a new line installed for my computer in my new abode.

5. Calling multiple times to get the static removed from my telephone line.

6. Receiving a bill for 300-plus overcalls due to static interference dropping my connection to the Internet.

7. Speaking to the service manager and his AVP several times only to never hear from them again.

As it stands I cancelled my request of the second line after five months, I am sure I will quicker see pigs fly then get this line. Not to mention a quite irritating phone call being transferred from person to person trying to figure out what I had requested in the first place, which was a second line.

The hum and static on my line is improved, until it rains that is, then I can get a clearer connection using two tin cans and a piece of string to talk into.

In retrospect I would like to first thank the manager and the AVP for not returning my calls, and to the rest of BTC for testing new limits of my patience.

Second, I would like to ask Mr. Powell if I could borrow his forklift. One last thing. My last month's Mobility bill got sent to my old address again, so from now on I think I am going to send my future BTC payments to a random address and let your accounts department hunt it down.

Thanks again for the service, SEAN SOARES Pembroke Singing Grotto's praises February 23, 2001 Dear Sir, With so many complaints being aired in the Letters to the Editor columns, I thought it would be nice to say something positive for a change. This is also good news for those of us who find eating out outrageously expensive. Grotto Bay serve an excellent buffet lunch daily, consisting of soup, a salad bar usually including smoked salmon etc. hot entrees such as roast chicken, vegetables and pasta, and half a dozen delicious deserts. And all this for a modest $14, and only $10 for resident guests! A recent outing to Grotto Bay was so pleasant that I felt obliged to pass on this information, and a walk down to the beach area and Prospero's Cave with its crystal lake and spectacular stalactites completes the day. A great outing for visiting guests, and residents too.

E. RABEN Paget Spot the difference March 1, 2001 Dear Sir, I wish to remind the pen-named person who keeps attacking Michael Dunkley that no matter what poison their syringe injects, it only continues to make people aware of what Dr. Brown is guilty of.

Changing nationalities is not like the propensity to change marriages. You are gifted with where you are born. When you change a nationality, you choose who you pledge your allegiance to. You can stir the pot any way you like but the ingredients are the same.

Michael Dunkley by birth had the advantage of dual citizenship (American through his mother and Bermudian by birth). By choice he gave up his American allegiance well before he entered politics.

Ewart Brown had the advantage of a Bermudian birth, spent part of his childhood in Jamaica and lived for decades in American where he made a pledge, to that country, for his advantage. He then gave up that allegiance under duress prior to an election. One would have to be flat-lining to deny the difference! I will follow the standard that you set and sign by pen-name.

FACTS SPEAK LOUDLY City of Hamilton A tall order February 23, 2001 Dear Sir, I refer to yesterday's headline "Don't lock the kids up'', and to the forthcoming budget debate where the Government will attempt to rationalise the expenditure of $9 million on the construction of a new centre for young offenders.

May I, respectfully, yet again entreat our members of Parliament to at least try to think "outside of the box'' for just one moment and instead consider the purchase of a Tall Ship for Bermuda for only $1.5 million? This will achieve far more than any other minimum security facility by immediately providing a wholly positive (and constantly moving!) venue where the best qualities hidden in most of us during our formative years will be given the greatest opportunity for positive release under a wholly demanding and strictly disciplined regimen of "life skills'' character training. As you know, Mr. Editor, this is internationally recognised as best achieved under such a sail training programme so well demonstrated during our recent "Tall Ships 2000'' spectacle.

Obviously such a programme would not, necessarily be capable of resolving all psychiatric problems evidently sometimes surfacing in some of our young people, but it will certainly very positively address many behavioural problems before they become so extremely difficult to resolve.

In addition, I can only add my encouragement to Mrs. Sheelagh Cooper's similarly constructive voice yet again reemphasising that prevention is far more effective than cure. We all know this to be so, so why cannot we all now at least be willing to work together to achieve it? There is no doubt whatsoever that if we reduce the enormously negative impact of so many of our youngsters' antisocial tendencies seen every day, both in our schools and on our streets, we would immediately similarly reduce an enormous amount of stress in our community inevitably contributing to the ever-spiralling demise of tourism.

A.E. (TED) GAUNTLETT Somerset Setting a fine example February 28, 2001 Dear Sir, To Arthur Hodgson MP: Today you have made my heart sing. The spirit of the Lord is showing in your life. I would rather see a sermon than just hear one, a great act of courage.

It was God who said One who tries to save his life, surely will lose it. Do unto others as you will have them do unto you. Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Not to think of him or herself more highly than she ought to think. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. God raises up Governments and brings them down, this we must keep in mind.

FRANCES BREARY Devonshire North Questioning the doctor February 26, 2001 Dear Sir, Grant Gibbons says in his Budget Reply that Government spending causes inflation.

Does it? To answer this question, it would be helpful to analyse the relationship of Government spending as a percentage of GDP with CPI. Also, the percentage change in Government spending with CPI. The data would have to be compared with a lag: for instance the year-on-year increase in CPI for the 12-month period beginning six months from the Budget announcement.

And even if construction prices rise, does that mean that the general price level will rise? PRESTON HUTCHINGS St. George's A fool and his money... March 2, 2001 Dear Sir, One thing we learn to do at an early age is how to spend money, but it soon becomes apparent that in order to spend, we have to go out and earn it. As we get older, common sense tells that a certain amount of what we earn has to be saved, especially if we want the nicer things in life. Eventually we want to get married, build a home and start a family, and with hard work, careful budgeting and taking out a small loan if necessary, we can achieve these things.

One must then adjust one's lifestyle to what kind of earning power is coming in and spend accordingly. We soon discover that everything we want cannot be bought in one day, in fact it takes many years to get to a comfortable position. Only a fool takes out large loans without the possibility of ever paying it back, and they stand a good chance of getting everything they own repossessed. Now we have a Government doing just that, trying to do everything in one year and putting the country in a big hole with a huge debt, and at the same time squeezing more money out of the inhabitants who ware already trying to keep their heads above water with the inflationary prices.

The People's Government's excuse for a $620 million budget is the UBP did not spend enough money when they were in power to get some of the things on their list done. As I have said before, it is very easy to spend money, and it is foolish to take out a huge loan, especially as all the signs are showing that we are heading for a big recession.

A General Election could be called at any time between now and the next two and a half years, and now is the time for the UBP to close ranks and get a strong team together, if they want to take over before this country goes belly up.

SEEING IT AS IT IS Pembroke