Dear Sir, "Some will consider it inappropriate to discuss this topic on such an occasion. I don't think so. What urgently needs attention in race relationships is outside and beyond Politics, Government and the Law. The nature of our problems is such that the ball is very much in the white UBP's court as the principal responsibility for our future success or failure lies in the white community. What we have in this room is a completely white assembly of Bermudians, most of whom are interested in the welfare and future of these islands. Saltus, whose founder and founding has made its mark as an institution of learning, has sharpened our ability to discriminate.'' My Brothers and Sisters these remarks were made by the late Dr. John Stubbs who had put much energy into closing the Howard Academy School, which helped to destroy education for black Bermudians. When Dr. Stubbs mentioned future success for Bermudians, he apparently did not include the majority of black Bermudians, only 10% of coloured Bermudians who were going to be partly educated.

Here we are in 1999 with no meaningful changes in the attitudes of whites who according to Mr. Gerald Simons the CEO of Argus Insurance, have never been intellectual giants in our Business world and who have very little basic concept in business.

Every time I see black children sitting on walls it reminds me of the real legacy of the late Dr. John Stubbs: the destruction of Education of 133 students and future students in our Black society.

RAYMOND RUSSELL SR.

Pembroke West Fight planning decision Dear Sir, I heard with dismay that plans for the extension of Vesey Street have been turned down, primarily because of the National Trust and SOS who fought against it, even though this development was given the full support of the Government of the time. I would like to take this opportunity to make the following comments and ask a few questions.

Where were the National Trust and SOS when Ocean View Golf Course cut a huge hole in the hill at Ocean View Golf Course for a driving range on the opposite side of the hill from the National Equestrian Centre? An excavation of similar size and scope to the planned development at the National Equestrian Centre. I personally never heard one word of objection. Isn't it ironic that the Ocean View excavation, for the betterment of a sport in Bermuda, was approved and the excavation for the betterment of equestrian sports was rejected. The NT and SOS claim that the NEC development will create an unsightly 95-foot cliff.

The cliff at Ocean View is not much shy of 95 feet, not to mention the additional adornment of an ugly torn net draped across the brow of the hill.

Where were the National Trust and SOS when the owners of the property to the east of the NEC excavated a hugh chunk out of the hillside? Again, I personally never heard one word of objection. Nothing about the "high amenity and ecological value of that part of the hillside being destroyed, nor the marshland being affected.'' Where were the National Trust and SOS when nearly all the arable farmland at Idle Acres in Smith's Parish was built on? I remember driving up there when they were excavating for the house being built on the left hand side as you go into Idle Acres Road. The soil must have been 15 feet deep. Now there is a house located there and on virtually every other piece of farmland in that area.

There are so many instances of farmland, arable land and woodland that have disappeared under housing development with little or no opposition, yet the NT and SOS want to celebrate their success in halting the development at Vesey Street, a development that would have in no way involved losing land to buildings. The NT and SOS purport to be so concerned about the loss of open spaces in Bermuda, yet everywhere you look, land is being developed and built on. Why don't the National Trust and SOS try to be more successful in preventing the loss of open spaces instead of blocking a development that WOULD NOT MEAN LOSS OF OPEN SPACE, it would mean altering the shape of the open space.

The NT & SOS state that the excavation would be "a highly intrusive development in this otherwise rural location to the detriment of visual and environmental amenities in the area''. Obviously, the NT & SOS never take the time to walk around this area, Parsons Lane, Vesey Street and Watlington Road are an absolute garbage dump. There is trash everywhere from old washing machines, to bagged garbage to bottles and cans strewn in the bushes. If the NT & SOS are so concerned about the rural environment, then why do they close their eyes to that? The equestrians often have trash clean-up drives to clean up the carelessly discarded garbage left on Vesey Street and the surrounding areas because very few others bother to do it. When was the last time that the NT or SOS organised a "clean up'' in that area to maintain this "area they are so concerned about? Besides, what could be more rural than a country lane with a couple of horses clip-clopping along it? The NT and SOS purport to have a petition with more than 1,000 objectors to the development. Well the equestrians also had a petition and we acquired over 1,500 signatures from members of the public who supported the development. The equestrian community has a lot of support on the Island. There are more spectators attending harness racing than most football matches. At the next Agricultural Show, just take a look at the hillside on the three afternoons of the show and see how many people are watching the equestrian events. The various equestrian disciplines encompass people of all walks of life, of all ages, of both sexes, of all races. It is one of the few sports where men, women and children can compete in total equality.

Bermuda has some tremendously talented riders, not only competing at home but also abroad. We have been sending riders to the Olympic Games for years, not to mention the Pan Am Games, The Commonwealth Games, American Young Riders. We have riders competing internationally regularly in dressage, show jumping and three-day eventing, as well as our juniors competing in the UK, Europe, Canada, and the USA during the summer vacations and doing extremely well. Last year, we had two juniors qualify, compete and finish really well at the Royal in Toronto against the top US and Canadian riders.

Before the National Trust and SOS turn their thumbs down on Bermuda's equestrians, have some thought for this sport which encourages structure, discipline, determination and responsibility in our youth, ploughs a huge amount of cash into our economy, employs a large number of people and encompasses a pretty sizeable chunk of registered voters.

To the National Trust and SOS, we are trying to save open spaces, we just need to change the shape of it. We are equestrians for heaven's sake, we need open spaces to ride in. Go and prevent the negative destruction and loss of our environment like the Ship's Hill development, stop the proposed condos on Bostock Hill, prevent planning permission being granted on arable land and farmland and rethink your position on the National Equestrian Centre, a positive development. There have to be checks and balances in a land mass as small as ours.

For all the equestrians and fans of the sport out there, stand up and be counted, don't take this decision lying down. Are we any less worthy of having a top class facility than the track and field athletes, the football and cricket clubs? Why don't we deserve a facility where we can hold international competitions, be a tourist attraction and give our youth the opportunity to excel? ANNIE SOUSA Paget Kids need both parents June 25, 1999 I firmly believe that the most well-rounded, complete, fulfilled adult is one who has had the privilege of having two parents, both mother and father, involved in every aspect of his/her childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. I use the word "privilege'' because statistics show that the growing majority of children are being raised in single parent households -- and in a great many of these homes it is the father who is absent. I admit that many of these fathers do not care to be involved in their children's lives. This is all too personal for me because I was one of those unfortunate children whose father did not care enough to have any kind of contact or involvement in my life. I just thank God for blessing me with an awesome mother who had the heart and intelligence to fill most of the gap. However, I know of too many men who are trying to be involved in their child's life but are being prevented from doing so by the child's mother.

My brother is the father of a beautiful five-year-old girl. This child means the world to him and he to her. He gladly pays his weekly maintenance but, because of the mother's bitterness and anger for reasons unknown, he has found himself in the courts on numerous occasions to gain visitation rights. The court reinforces a schedule, such as every other weekend, but a few weeks later the mother will totally disregard its ruling and prevent him from seeing his daughter. It has been nearly two months now and this child, who loves her father dearly, hasn't had a chance to spend time with him. He visited the courts again last week only to be told that there isn't anything the courts could do to force the mother to obey its rulings.

This has been happening since my niece was a baby. I'm tied of seeing the hurt and tears in my brother's eyes whenever another weekend passes without him seeing his child. It really worries me to hear him say that he is ready to give up trying to have a relationship with her. This would be a devastating loss not only for my niece and her father, but to society as well, for this would be another child who was robbed of the chance of reaching her full potential as a well rounded, fulfilled adult.

I'm asking for answers before it's too late. Can anyone from the judicial or social system recommended any steps that men who find themselves in this predicament can take, other than constantly visiting the courts only to have them `tap' these women on the wrists? We all know that if the fathers fail to meet their maintenance payments, the courts will not hesitate to incarcerate them.

DISAPPOINTED AND HEART BROKEN Pembroke