On Friday, December 15, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the shortened school day, and bring our two sons and a friend to the early showing of the "Grinch'' at the Little Theatre. When purchasing our tickets we were "warned'' that 108 of the 135 seats had been pre-sold to a school group. With some trepidation, we went ahead with our plans, prepared to endure a restless and disruptive audience.

We were pleasantly surprised by our experience. The theatre was indeed filled with students from the Whitney Institute Middle School, but they were far from a restless or disruptive group. In fact, we found quite the opposite -- this audience was far better than past experience at family movie showings, and we were impressed by the friendly and polite demeanour of the students.

We'll go to the movies with you any day, Whitney Institute! MRS. RANDI CUNNINGHAM Paget Phone rates discriminate December 27, 2000 Dear Sir, I saw the TBI ad. It charges 29 cents to the rich English speaking white countries, excluding Australia and New Zealand. Poor English speaking Black West Indians must pay 59 cents.

Now the black West Indians cannot say that we have been discriminated against because the Australians and New Zealanders also pay 59 cents per minute.

What strikes me is that the West Indians have the same access code as the USA and Canada. Even Hawaii and Alaska, miles and miles away, pay 29 cents. So do the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, not far from the other West Indian islands.

There is something very wrong, Minister Webb.

Countries with the same access code should pay the same. England and Ireland have a different access codes, so why do they get the breaks, except that they are white rulers? So, Sir, you cannot blame me if I have concluded that there is racial abuse in TBI's pricing.

Concerning callback companies: The callback companies are just middlemen.

If callback companies can buy wholesale from the long distance companies and make money, and the long distance companies also make profits from them, why does Miss Web have a problem? She should protect the profits of the long-distance companies, but not their excess profits.

If the long distance companies, without a middleman, cannot make enough profit using similar but better equipment, Cable and Wireless and TBI should open callback companies using middlemen, and charge the same! This will guarantee them a profit.

Let's be honest, Sir, Cable and Wireless and TBI can always match the callback companies with their own direct systems, and make bigger profits without the middleman. Madam Minister should not help them rip us off.

FEELING RIPPED OFF Pembroke Enough is enough December 27, 2000 Dear Sir, On numerous occasions over the past few months when there has been absolutely no sign of inclement weather or high winds, a number of residents in the Cox's Hill area of Pembroke West have had to suffer the inconvenience of sudden, inexplicable power outages.

If this is the result of pre-arranged load-shedding, some condideration should be given to load-shed rotation so that the same residents are not always inconvenienced.

On the other hand, if these all too frequent power outages are not the result of scheduled load-shedding, can Belco please explain the causes of these outages and what is being done to fix the problem.

ANNOYED RESIDENT Pembroke