I feel rather disgruntled at a continuing situation with employment on the Island. We, the Bermudians, thought having the PLP in power would alter this, but I am afraid that is not the case. I am, along with my colleagues, an experienced mechanic in the specialised area of drywall, so why is it Immigration continually grants permission to non-Bermudians (Canadians to be exact) to do this job? The number of contracts on the Island are limited for this field of work, so when a new building is being built, it generates work for the locals, or so we think. I am afraid this is not true, yet again Immigration has granted permission for non-Bermudians to do a portion of the work on one of the newly erected buildings. This could have kept us in employment for the next eight months. Now we are left seeking employment yet again. A large proportion of mechanics in the past have generated a petition and presented it to immigration, but to no avail, again we are writing to help ourselves but will this be to no avail also? What is our Country coming to? We are supposed to help our own first; I thought an employer had to prove that no Bermudian is capable of doing a job before they processed an application. This seems not to be true, what do we do next to keep employed? Change our profession? A DISGRUNTLED BERMUDIAN Devonshire Nail what went wrong August 10, 2000 Dear Sir, For two years I have managed to maintain my sepulchral slumbers in the certain knowledge that change, under the new Government in the New Bermuda, would be slow. How right I was, although I hear that you have made progress with the OECD (some say), tourism is finally to receive a boost, financial laws are being enacted and so on.

What, however, of other matters? Traffic is increasing, cars are getting bigger, the ferry service has been reduced, crime is on the rise (the nasty kind too), international companies have been hit with higher taxes, nothing has been done to support the failing retail trade (there are many businesses "out there'' that have nothing to do with "Front Street'') and now you seem to be embarking on a Commission to "nail what went wrong'' ( The Royal Gazette's words) in the Middleton murder case. Just over four years after the event.

What on earth is the matter with you? Do you want to further alienate Canadians -- especially Mr. Middleton, whose forbearance is remarkable? Do you not want to "nail'' what went wrong? Why have Messrs, Coxall and Mottley not been called? Because they might shed too much light on the matter? It is one consolation that the former Attorney General has been asked to be a witness -- good on yer, Saul! Incidentally it is interesting to see that many of Coxall's recommendations on local policing are now, finally, being put in place.

Come, Bermuda, you have some very serious housekeeping to do or you will rapidly become a "Third World nation'' however well you may be regarded by the OECD and others in terms of being "good tax boys''. Ho, Hum.

COPPERKNICKERS Paget Passport is all you need August 10, 2000 Dear Sir, It was interesting to pick up the newspaper and find that now Bermudians travelling to France are having difficulties regarding visas. It was equally interesting to note that the French Consul to Bermuda is now being put through the proverbial wringer, as was Mr. Juul, the Swedish Consul.

I was fortunate enough, regarding my problems with purported visa requirements to enter Sweden, to know a person in Stockholm who could make direct contact with their Central Immigration Authority. Via this contact I received documents to say -- categorically -- that there never was any visa requirement for Bermuda passport holders. Apparently someone got hold of some out-of-date documents which then circulated to the Stockholm Airport Police, the Swedish Consul in New York, and then the Consul here in Bermuda. The fact is, if one has the words "British Passport'' stamped on the front...that's it. The fact that inside the passport it may say British Dependent Territories should make no difference. You are a British Citizen, and as such would be automatically protected and/or sponsored by the government of that country, simply because you are carrying their passport.

Back in the times when Sir John Swan, despite his brilliance and expansive thinking, was whisking us all towards independence, many gave pause for some thought on a passport backed by the government of a tiny island population of just over sixty odd thousand. It is no fun at all to arrive at one's destination and be stuck in some holding room while the powers that be deliberate as to whether or not you may enter the country. It must be even less enjoyable if you come from the Great Nation of Bermuda, and are treated like some third world citizen. Ask Mr. Charles Webbe of The Tourism Department, he knows.

During my trials and tribulations with the visa experience, I did contact -- or attempted to contact -- the Hon. Paula Cox, whom I understand to be the individual I would seek advice from regarding these matters. I never got to speak to The Honourable Lady, but rather someone in the department who to my amazement advised me that Immigration did not deal with these matters -- I would have to speak to the Governor. No small task for a humble citizen of this great Island Nation.

I did get to speak to a very helpful man named Gurney who said he would do everything he could to assist with my little problem, which was subsequently solved, so I'm sure he did something, and for that he has my gratitude.

So for all those fellow citizens who have "British Passport'' stamped on the front of theirs, be glad of that fact, and remember that when you are out and about on your worldly travels, Bermuda is not considered a Nation, most countries expect you to have these weird knee-length shorts on, or they simply have never even heard of Bermuda at all.

JOHN DAVID (JACK) GAUNTLETT Pembroke Made to measure? August 12, 2000 Dear Sir, I am writing you and your readers to see if anyone else has experienced what I am about to describe to you. I recently purchased a new five-gallon, 19 litre gas can for our two scooters for emergency gas.

Last week when I went to the local gas station to have it filled, I was amazed to see the container held 22 litres of gas. In fact the 22 litres of gas was only about three quarters full in the gas container.

When I asked the man pumping the gas how could this be, he responded: "What you see is what you get'' Not knowing who else to complain to, I of course purchased and paid for the 22 litres, knowing that I only obtained about 17 litres.

Does the Government inspect the accuracy of these gas pumps or are we paying for gas that we never receive? With the high price of gasoline, we should not have to pay for gas we do not get.

DAVE SMITH Devonshire