Dear Sir, I was recently quoted in an article concerning Premier Jennifer Smith's attendance at the Senior Executive Program in State and Local Government at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. The controversy is swirling about whether Premier Smith can fairly characterize herself as a "graduate'' of the State and Local Program at the Kennedy School of Government, which she attended in 1984. I must point out that Premier Smith's spokeswoman is correct, the Premier is an alumnus of the Kennedy School. But that term includes both people who have graduated with a degree and people who have participated in non-degree programmes.

If Premier Smith's official biography listed her as "attending the Senior Executive Program in State and Local Government,'' that would, indeed, be accurate. However, one cannot "graduate'' from a program for which there are no academic records, no exams, thesis or final reports. One's grades from a prior academic institution are not required for admission to the programme, and no one is required to maintain a grade point average (as one is required to do in a degree program) because there is no grading. This is what is meant by an "executive'' programme.

It is similar to the distinction between a diploma and a certificate. We don't give diplomas for attending the State and Local program; we do, on the other hand, give certificates.

ROBYN S. CHAMPION Director, Senior Executive Program in State and Local Government Kennedy School of Government Harvard University Tel: 617-495-0652 Speaking up for men April 19, 2000 Dear Sir, I write to congratulate Mr. Alvin Williams on his commentary pertaining to out of wedlock dads, and the issue of equal status in relation to wed fathers.

While I have no time for the issue of race in regard to parenting as mentioned. I believe a child requires the life skills offered by both parents regardless of race or gender. We as a society are paying dearly, daily via the loss of our children to a system that insists on removing any meaningful parental influence normally from the father, because one or both parents are convinced that the astro turf on the other side is actually green. Please consider the following points.

1. The caring unmarried father is in court told his only right is to pay and support the child, whilst taking on the role of a visitor seeing the child maybe 24 days a year.

The mother with the same marital status enjoys full rights for the remaining 341 days, even if it was she who refused to marry.

Mr. Williams states that to grow up in a home without a father may well be a factor in the rate of becoming dysfunctional especially in boys. The growing list of concerns confirm that, however studies show that girls raised without their father can fall victim to a myriad of pit falls born out of not experiencing a father, and being able to discern a good partner.

2. The commentary might give the impression that a child of a married man will enjoy more in the way of rights to interaction with him. Many divorced men will take great issue with that, and will quickly confirm that your prior marital status has little bearing on your child's likelihood of having a meaningful relationship with the father regardless of his desire or ability to provide one. It will quickly be pointed out by lawyers, counsellors, human rights, social services and the judge that when it comes down to your child being raised, your gender and the 18th Century perception that the male is incapable of nurturing and raising a child will be paramount in any deliberations.

It appears to me that the issue regarding the rights of a child to equal access with both parent does not centre on what is in the best interest of our children, nor care involvement, or even who has proved to be the one capable, and making the best decisions. Neither is it based on who recognizes the importance of both parents interaction and a willingness to share in the wonderful privilege of raising your gift from God, but rather it is based on one's sex. This practice is failing, and saddens me, we (Bermuda) have come a long way but this concept is akin to burning witches. Women protested and chained themselves in order to vote once every 5 years, and right they should fight. Now it time for men to stand up for their children's every day rights.

I leave with this ONE MAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. EVERY MAN SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT. RIGHTS ARE THE PRIVILEGES OF THE VICTOR LET OUR CHILDREN WIN EDDIE FISHER Sandys Parish CURE's responsibilities April 18, 2000 Dear Sir, The most casual observer of the Bermudian society would be aware that the marks (and disadvantages) of our history of racism, segregation and worker exploitation are still very evident within the black community, both economically and psychologically, just as it is on the Indian Reservation, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The bitterness and rage expressed not only by William Williams and the expat CEO but by local whites and black UBP-ers that the current attitude of indifference towards the humanity of black Bermudians and the centuries of injustices inflicted on them is no different from the attitudes which prevailed when there was government sponsored segregation and racism. Even the less virulent expressions of those like Ward Young who tell us to apologise to expatriates and editorial comments which express concern about the political control of the civil service reflect the total lack of appreciation by white people of what racism has done to all of us in the black community.

Am I, and others like me, supposed to forget that not so very long ago anyone who challenged racism under the UBP was not only excluded from the civil service because they were "too black'' but was denied promotion or any kind of recognition, regardless of our qualifications. When I am dead that may happen but I am not dead, I am not yet even senile, nor do I have Alzheimer's yet. Therefore it infuriates me when there are those who want to pretend that individual black hostility equates with the Government sponsored social policies of racism, segregation and economic exploitation. I am astounded when I hear questions of whether the same rules apply to our few struggling black businesses as if "racial integration'' and not economic purity was the goal.

White African farmers in Zimbabwe are not concerned to take over African shacks in response to Africans taking over their farms. In my view it is almost libelous, even if understandable, because of the effectiveness of their propaganda, to accept the propaganda of white racist Americans who contend that affirmative action means hiring blacks regardless of their qualifications. They are the same type of people who are saying the same thing here. Both resent any effort to address the injustices of the past.

Before any Bermudian comments on affirmative action in the USA they should inform themselves by reading Black and Social Justice by Bernard R. Boxill.

CURE's responsibility , in my view, is not to pretend that individual black hostility, or even "racial hatred'' is similar to, or has the impact of, centuries-old government sponsored policies of white racism that has psychologically indoctrinated the entire western world, or that "racial integration'' is the goal.

Its responsibility is to institute policies that will have as their goal the eventual economic parity between the black and white communities and that will ensure that the same psychological self acceptance will evolve among black that exists among whites.

EVA N. HODGSON Hamilton Parish Take care of the skink April 19, 2000 Dear Sir, I would like to take a few moments to say how important it is to save the animals in Bermuda. Bermuda has many animals that are not found anywhere else in the world. For example we have the Skinks. (They look similar to a lizard).

If you throw bottles on the ground, ants may go in there and drink all the sweet stuff. The Skinks will then go into the bottles to eat the ants. Then they get stuck and are not able to get out because they do not have the special pads, which are needed for them to crawl back out.

Therefore they die from starvation. Since Bermuda has different creatures, we must protect them as part of our heritage as long as they are not harming anyone or anything.

At Heron Bay Primary, the primary 5 class has a programme called Save The Skink Association. The students involved try to inform the public how important it is to save the Skinks. By making posters and signs, they then put them up around the school, hoping that the other students will inform their families and friends how we should not litter. They also encourage them to pick up empty bottles and other trash so that the surviving Skinks will not be harmed or killed.

Although Skinks do not play an important part in our country, I think that just because they are unique to our island, they should be preserved.

DAVON ADAMS 10 Years Heron Bay School Southampton