JUST recently I've been reading about how Belco hopes to sink generators in the sea bed and use the tidal currents to generate power. This, of course, is an excellent opportunity to use the energy created by the Gulf Stream and tidal currents, thus reducing Bermuda's dependency on oil.

I've often wondered why Bermuda has never harnessed the energy source which is created at the Tynes Bay incinerator? This is an energy source just waiting to be tapped and is already in place.

As I recall, there was talk of exactly this happening when the incinerator was being built ? with Government selling the energy to Belco ? but obviously nothing ever came of these plans.

Now there is talk about building a new hospital but on the same site. I would suggest that Government consider building this new hospital close to Tynes Bay incinerator, perhaps where the old military hospital was located just to the east of the incinerator. This would not only be a central location but would give patients magnificent views over the North Shore, from Dockyard to St. George's and, who knows, perhaps if located correctly, over the Ocean View Golf Course and the beautiful wetlands just to the South and East of Barkers Hill Road.

I realise this would possibly ruffle a few feathers, especially when one looks at what has happened along Point Finger Road.

On my last trip to Bermuda this looked more like "Doctors' Row"! However, these surgeries and offices could be sold off and converted back to the lovely homes they once were, thus returning this lovely area back to a residential neighbourhood.

It just seems such a shame to have all this energy just going up in smoke when it could very well run the entire hospital complex.

And if this is not enough heat source, then methane gas could be very easily piped in from the dump at Marsh Folly as a back-up. This concept was used quite successfully in Prince Edward Island when they built a new hospital there in the mid-1980s.

Five years and counting . . .

I THINK there is a story here. Does anyone in Bermuda care that the official Bermuda Immigration web site has been " in construction" for over five years! Amazing, eh, with today's technology?

Go on it. Check for yourself. Click on the status bar and the message tells you the information is coming shortly. Well, it's been coming shortly for the five years I have lived in Canada. It makes Bermuda look inadequate to the outside world. It is inexcusable. I wrote to the lady in charge and was told they have no extra budget or staff so each manager has to update and work on their own pages. No other explanation, no apology. Just indifference.

This is Bermuda's up-front image to the world. PLEASE, like you did with the Berkeley Institute, make someone take an interest. Most civilised countries in the world have great web sites, why can't Bermuda achieve it? I write because I care.

SUE, Canada

@TIMES-18:Where is the justice?

HEY, I have a question. I wrote a letter to the Government and all they told me is "that's why we have financial assistance". No answer to the actual question. So here it is.

My son's father has been in the child support system since my boy was two (now he is 13). I wanna know why is it if a young man turns 18 his name is all over the paper to come up to the Army at Warwick Camp and if he doesn't he goes to jail.

Yet they do not publicly list these deadbeat parents who are not supporting their children. I feel the public has a right to know who these losers are. Maybe they should have to wear some type of uniform and do community service.

I mean, how cool will you be looking in the dance wearing ya deadbeat dad's clothes trying to pick up a hot date? And think how humiliating this would be walking the streets when ya boy's family and community know you don't step up to the plate.

I feel we parents doing right by our kids need help from these deadbeats. Maybe they should be order to a two-week child camp where they can touch up on parenting skills with their child?

I just found out that after my son turns 18 the debt owed by his father will be written off. Where is the justice for me and my son? Holla about this, people ? and help a sister.

@TIMES-18:Voice of ignorance

I WANT you to know that I read your newspaper each and every Friday, and I just love it. I love the editorials but most of all I love the truth. I especially enjoy Mr. John Barritt's contributions as well as the news reports by your reporters.

No matter what some of your more shrill critics might claim, the only genuine rag around Bermuda now is the, which I read occasionally. I especially enjoy Laverne Furbert's opinion columns. She is always hitting out at anyone who is not connected to the Progressive Labour Party Government and their followers. Some could call her opinions racist but I don't. I think she is just blinded.

In today's she attacks your journalist Heather Wood. She actually has the gall to hit out at Ms Wood and your newspaper for printing the words of the now famous Gabriel Martel and his inside story of the Berkeley mess.

Need I remind Ms Furbert this is news ? news of how this Government is wasting time and money on every project they touch. And we, the public, happen to be this Government's employers. If she wasn't doing her job wouldn't her employer question her?

Well, it's the same thing. Only when we question, we do not receive any answers.

Maybe that's why they are going to be spending our money again, by opening a Government radio/TV station, informing us of only what they want us to know. They are learning a lot from their new friend Fidel Castro, aren't they?

Ms Furbert has a lot of gall questioning your journalists' integrity and accusing them of irresponsible investigative reporting. After all, she was the one who called the Shirley Dill talk show on VSB a few weeks ago and matter-of-factly reported that the Salvation Army sent ten per cent of their monies overseas to Canada.

Now that's what I call responsible, fact-finding journalism! Both the Premier and the Health Minister have had to publicly distance themselves from that irresponsible and highly damaging claim in recent weeks. So why didn't you do job and investigate this story before you opened your mouth, Ms Furbert?

It's too bad that the e doesn't give some answers to their own people who are Bermuda Industrial Union Members.

For instance: Why doesn't the BIU subsidise lost wages to the hotel workers when the hotels close? After all don't they collect $10 per week per person from everyone who is a BIU member. What is the money for?

Maybe Ms Furbert, through the shouldconcentrate on getting these questions answered from the Union people, instead of writing ignorance that no one is interested in.

Mr. Editor, the new Berkeley Institute should be put in the for being the most over-budget, over-timed school ever to be built. If it wasn't so ridiculous, it may just be funny.