I am shocked! What is happening to this country? When Government backbench MP Delaey Robinson, who is supposed to be setting a good example to the youth of this Country, even hints that using marijuana is acceptable we are in serious danger! What example is he setting to our youth who are Bermuda's future? Mr.

Robinson has just given them the right to demand the freedom and use of this "soft'' drug as Mr. Robinson calls it! I am sorry. A drug is a drug no matter if it is alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. They should be treated the same. Has Mr. Robinson not seen all the campaigns the NDC has published along with all the efforts put forth by the Council Partners on use of drugs? Is he not aware of the incredible amount of money that is spent every year in this country to try to reduce this problem -- especially the use of marijuana? What Mr. Robinson should be pushing for is the complete extinction of any drug problem on this Island and not encouraging it! Shame on you -- hopefully your child will grow up to have more sense than you do! UPSET MOTHER Devonshire The truth about dogs August 14, 2000 Dear Sir, Now the Veterinary Surgeons have been publicly vilified as "enablers'' of organised dog fights (Mid-Ocean News, August 11) by the Minister of the Environment -- the very person whose office should be supportive of our profession -- the public is owed an explanation: Nothing, Sir, is more difficult than keeping one's counsel, when dealing with an apology of a human presenting a dog which one suspects is being compelled to fight. (Usually of the Pitbull-type, but not exclusively). However, our profession, and all those who work under our employment, must have the welfare of both the individual animal and animals collectively at heart. As paradoxical as it may initially vigilante law enforcers.

The long-term welfare of these poor animals is best served, when those engaged in such inhumane activity can be arrested by the proper authorities, brought to court, and concrete, credible evidence deposited before a judge. The duty of a veterinary surgeon who is subpoenaed by a magistrate to reveal all clinical records to a court of law overrides his duty of confidentiality to a client... In order for a case of illegal fighting to be upheld, and a conviction to be successful, the arresting officer must either have witnessed the fight, or produce credible witnesses who can give eyewitness accounts.

Veterinary surgeons can then often deliver very strong supporting circumstantial evidence, if they have been called upon to treat repeated bite-inflicted injuries to one animal.

No one -- and the Minister, who I believe is a lawyer, should know this, can be convicted of fighting his dog merely on the basis of multiple bite wounds! In addition, it is highly probable that 90 percent of even the most severe bite-inflicted wounds we treat are in a sense "accidental'' or defacto, caused by irresponsible ownership and often negligent care and supervision of the dog which is the victim of attack! There is the other small point the Minister may wish to ponder...or not, as the case may be, and that is the safety of the veterinary surgeons and supporting staff. Once we start picking up the phone and acting as informants, no matter how strong our suspicions, it would only be a matter of time before we were nursing severe personal injuries at KEMH.

Bermuda is not the first community to have to deal with this repugnant pastime, and the cruel misuse of our loyal canine companions. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has developed an advisory code of conduct for all its members (in effect summarised above). Any person wishing to check for themselves may contact the RCVS directly via their website.

Since the Minister is so keen to see us break our confidentiality code, perhaps I should start the ball rolling by revealing to the public the details of a post mortem report on the Afghan dog known as "Domino'', which he allegedly paid to import from Paris. All I can say, is that his poor animal did not die in the manner which the Minister has stated to the Mid-Ocean News.

I was the veterinary surgeon who conducted the post mortem on June 16, 1997, at the request of the SPCA and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Copies of that report, together with original photographs were hand delivered to the SPCA and to the Director of the Department of Agriculture on June 30, 1997. Since, nevertheless, I do take my code of professional conduct seriously, I cannot disclose the content of that report, unless the client (in this case either the SPCA or the Department) gives permission for full disclosure.

Perhaps the Minister himself could give permission for disclosure, since he feels that the case demonstrates his "familiarity with cruelty to animals.'' DR. A.M. WARE-CIETERS Pembroke Give soda firms a chance August 7, 2000 Dear Sir, Please allow me through your valuable editorial space to commend Bermuda on a pretty quiet Cup Match on land and at sea and to commend our emergency services, fire, Police, hospital, Belco and also our national transport industry taxi, ferry, buses for working while most of us were enjoying the festivities.

Both Cup Match clubs need to be highly praised but for one shocking comment from Colin Smith, President of Somerset Cricket Club lashing out at Metro beverages, and Barritt's for wanting to service their customers like they normally do.

Mr. Smith, if I rent a stall from any Cup Match club for the high rent you ask, I am entitled to have my beverage dealer decorate my stall to advertise what soda, juice, ice and beverages I'm offering my customer. We also have a right to purchase our supplies from agents we choose, i.e. fish, chicken, ice, chips, drinks. This has been going on with support from previous administrations of Somerset Cricket Club and St. George's Cricket Club for years.

It's amazing Mr. Colin Smith will attack Metro run by the Stirling family and John Barritt run by the Barritt family who I may add sponsor quite a bit of sporting organisations, football, cricket, running, walking, biking, the list goes on and on.

These two beverage companies, Metro and Barritt's, do a great job in sponsoring public and private schools PTA which benefit the children.

Everything is money and you want to know why people are camping, taking trips etc. on Cup Match.

If Mr. Colin Smith wishes to have a good relationship with the Mr. and Mrs.

Public for Cup Match, do more positive matters and put emphasis to try and stamp out extra loud music, sometimes four or five music sounds playing loudly at the same time. Also try and stop drug smoking at Cup Match. I'm sure the SCC president will get more support from Bermuda if these two soda companies put large Pepsi, ginger beer, Sobe, Coca Cola or ginger ale signs around the field boundary. It's only common sense these firms will pay clubs for advertising. Where has democracy gone? Are we now heading towards dictatorship? SOMERSET MEMBER Warwick Story was unprofessional August 15, 2000 Dear Sir, It is with great dismay that I read your lead article Saturday last (August 5, 2000), "New eco-resort `a disaster'''.

The journalistic judgments that went into the writing, editing, and publishing of this piece constitute a disgrace upon the otherwise fine reputation of The Royal Gazette . That the author would see fit to rely on a single and dubious source is unprofessional and seriously compromises the story's credibility.

That the Editor would allow the article to run without response from the manager of Daniel's Head Village is unfair and in effect turns the story into an opinion piece parading as genuine news. Finally, that this ill-researched and ill-supervised pseudo-reportage should be published in the top spot on the front page, ahead of the obviously more striking (and factual) result of the Cup Match, is simply flabbergasting.

Does the paper have it in for the new eco-resort? If so, please promulgate your position on the editorial page -- where it belongs, if anywhere. I am sure your discriminating readership would appreciate if this lapse into yellow journalism were to be remedied and go unrepeated.

DR. RALPH ACAMPORA Hofstra University Hofstra, New York Editor's Note: The Royal Gazette did attempt all day Friday to contact the manager of the Daniel's Head eco-resort. Readers may also recall that a second story ran on the front page of Monday's newspaper giving positive comments from some of the village's guests and the reaction of the general manager. For the record, The Royal Gazette does not have it in for the new eco-resort.

Camp's me-first attitude August 12, 2000 Dear Sir, I refer to your Friday, August 11 edition "Top cop'' in which you quote Mr.

Froomkin: "Part of the problem may be that in most jurisdictions the renumerations for senior counsel are such that Government can't attract them.'' I trust that you meant to use the word remuneration which, in Webster's dictionary, means, "to reward, recompense...'' I could not find renumerate. However, it probably means re-number! Don't you have a spell-checker? So much for trivial items. Seriously, I appreciate your news coverage -- keep up the good work.

Again, seriously, there is an attitude among certain campers that enjoy the facilities at Clearwater and Turtle Beach on Southside. Fortunately, such people are in the minority as most campers make the effort to collect their refuse and take it away or place it properly in the trash barrels. However, one group chose to leave their mattress, broken table and pile of wood on the grass verge to the disgust of locals and visitors who enjoy the beach.

Further, anyone visiting Turtle Beach over the Cup Match holidays were caught in a traffic deadlock caused by folk who parked on the grass verge so as to be adjacent to their tents. This "me-first'' attitude caused a situation where the emergency vehicles were unable to pass freely. I give great praise to the Police and Parks who do a good job and I hope they can sort this out so that the same problem does not arise every major holiday.

UNCOMMON SENSE Hamilton Parish