This letter is addressed to the driver of a Peugot Cabriolet 306 Convertible.

Your dangerous driving this morning, Tuesday, July 25, at Barnes Corner was nothing less than absolute stupidity. Yes, I have road rage this morning as a result of your despicable display of appalling road manners, your impatience, your arrogance, and your lack of consideration for others. I had watched you in my rear view mirror from Port Royal Fire Station, particularly your magnificent display of one-handed driving. What did you expect to gain by overtaking at Barnes Corner, particularly as the line of traffic going towards town was travelling quite freely? All you gained was one car length, my car, causing me to break sharply as you cut in front. I then watched your brilliant ability to tailgate the car in front of you as well as your continued display of one-handed driving on the centre line as far as Burnt House Hill, where, no doubt, the driver of that car was as thankful as myself to be turning off.

Certainly your display this morning convinced me you are a lethal threat on our roads, and I sincerely hope that you are permanently removed as quickly as possible before causing a major accident.

G.C.

Sandys Parish Increase tender service July 17, 2000 Dear Sir, Regarding the articles in your paper under the heading, "Cruise Ships Wanting to get out of Dockyard,'' Bermuda always had a tender to bring visitors from the West End to Hamilton ever since cruise ships started coming to Dockyard.

Within a two-year period there were one or two tender trips a day from Dockyard to Hamilton.

I would suggest that the Government increase tender trips to the Dockyard by two or three per day, at Government's expense, while the Nordic Empress and the Crown Dynasty are at the West End.

The Government is already paying the tender crew regardless of whether they work or not. The only addition to the cost would be the fuel. I am sure the fuel cost is of minor importance compared to the loss of the ships. As far as I know, the reason the tender service ceased was because the cruise ships refused to pay for the Government tender. If I am wrong, please correct me.

SEA ALL Paget P.S. Since writing the above, I was at Dockyard and saw two ferry boats crowded with passengers while many people were left on the dock awaiting transportation to Hamilton, when across the water a lovely big tender sat idle at the dock. I am sure the referenced passengers would have rather gone on the large tender, and enjoyed a more comfortable voyage to Hamilton. They would have returned home telling their friends about the wonderful and comfortable tender service in Bermuda.

Time for a change July 25, 2000 Dear Sir, The Government, through some of its more vocal members, has challenged its critics to find something nice to say about its accomplishments. Normally this would not be as difficult a challenge as it would first appear. While it is true that the present Government apparently did nothing to further exacerbate the threat by external forces and we should be thankful, we still do not know what price was paid. Whilst `one sparrow does not make a spring' -- one dodged bullet does not make an accomplished Government.

The attempts to take credit for a delisting and use it to mask the other difficulties facing our home economy is duplicitous at best and dishonest in the extreme. Tourism, which is the lifeblood of the economy, is in free fall.

Neither the Minister nor his Chairman nor the Government appears to have an understanding as to the intricacies contained in this industry. The recent decision to employ a few local musicians on a Sunday evening and allow the rest of the Dockyard area to go begging; as well as the new test for success as enunciated by the chairman are but two blatant examples. These decisions amplify the lack of depth and lack of industry knowledge possessed by these two gentleman. Unfortunately for the Government, due to `collective responsibility', the same brush tars them.

Tourism with its wide and varied tentacles is still the major employer in the country, despite its continued decline. With tourism performing only a collective total of five months a year; who and what do you think pays for the other seven? Those who are in the Government service should stop to think as to where would their pay cheque come from if the tourism industry were not contributing to Government's revenues. The co-dependent relationship that exists within our economy between tourism, international business and Government is just that: co-dependent. If and when one of the partners is allowed to perish the others will no longer be whole and able to sustain themselves or us. It is now time to stop the politics and start the programme that will see this industry become a full and active partner again.

Consideration should be given to privatization or at least performance-based remuneration. We all know how we got here -- we just would like to know where it is we are going. All the parties in (and around) the world obviously have not done it. It is time for a change, again.

DAVID J. SULLIVAN Somerset Need tougher laws July 19, 2000 Dear Sir, Now we can add another serious problem to the already long list of problems Bermuda has created for itself -- the dogs! It is simply unbelievable that 357 dogs were taken into care during the first six months of the year. This means that close to a thousand dogs will have been taken into care by the year-end, and shockingly, most of these dogs are either pitbull terriers or pitbull crosses.

I read recently, that in Germany, it is now illegal to own a pitbull terrier because of their aggressive nature. Any dog can become aggressive, I have a little 15-pound Lhasa Apso, and when I correct him, if possible, he will give me a nip -- it is the nature of the beast. To have pitbulls running loose on this island is a frightening thought, this could also prove to be a very dangerous situation.

I would like to know what are we waiting for? Are we waiting for someone to be mauled to death before something is done? Can you imagine the horror if a child was mauled to death? Your child for instance? Immediate attention should be given to this problem, and, as with a lot of our problems, they were not created yesterday! I know there are laws in place for illegal breeding, but are these laws carried out to the fullest extent? What we need are some really "get tough'' laws.

Regarding the captured dogs, I am sure the people in charge of the Government kennels and the SPCA know the aggressive ones -- the ones that were bred for fighting, etc., why not put these dogs to sleep? If the SPCA or the Government kennels are holding dogs over a period of two weeks and they are not claimed, the simple solution is to put them to sleep. I know that some people will say this is inhumane, and would cry murder if an animal is put down, yet, some of these same people, in the blink of an eye, would give the nod to abort an innocent child.

For a small Island, we have a lot of problems, too many problems, and if we do not get on top of them, it is going to be our undoing.

The last government dragged its tail on a lot of our problems. Let's hope the PLP government gets the lead out and cleans up some of the many problems they inherited! P. FERGUSON Warwick Tax break needed July 21, 2000 Dear Sir, It has been said in the Senate that firms should get a break in the amount of payroll tax they pay if they adhere to the CURE legislation. I feel companies should get a break/discount on their payroll tax when they pay on time. The number of companies that do not pay payroll tax, pay only a portion or are always late is increasing each year. I understand it is now at a "crisis'' situation and the Government doesn't know what to do about it.

DEBT COLLECTOR Paget Woods has arrived July 23, 2000 Dear Sir, We waited patiently for the next Muhammad Ali or Pele and our wait was not in vain. His name was Michael Jordan.

Then we looked for the next Michael Jordan and our prayers were shortly answered. This time he goes by Woods...Tiger Woods.

ROLFE PATTON COMMISSIONG City of Hamilton Liked show as it was July 20, 2000 This letter was sent to Cablevision.

Dear Cable Company, You were doing fine until you turned Nickelodeon into Spanish. Me, my family and my friends liked Nickelodeon the way it was. I wish you would change it back.

JENNA KESSARAM Age: 7