As a repeat visitor (16 visits over 19 years, totalling 250 days) I keep reading about the decline in tourists who arrive by air and stay in a hotel. I see at least three errors in thinking on this topic. First is the definition of "wealthy'' clients as those with household incomes of $100,000 plus. In the northeastern US $100,000 is an average income for families that can travel more than once a year or vacation for more than a few days in Bermuda, or other expensive venue. Many in that group might not choose a "high end'' hotel, preferring instead to spend a longer time, or make several trips during a year. Second, truly wealthy people have family incomes greatly exceeding $100,000. This latter group has a very large choice of destinations, due to world-wide development of out-of-the-way areas over the last 30 years. Places like China, Africa, or even Antarctica have a mysterious and exciting allure, not to mention the status attached to such travel. The very people who can afford these trips are the ones who used to fill Bermuda's "high end'' hotels 30 years ago. Their new travel goals have switched from luxury and service to the excitement of an exotic journey to faraway places. Bermuda probably cannot compete with this because of a change in the clientele, rather than a lack of luxury and service in the so-called "high end'' hotels.

I think that focusing more on the uniqueness of a truly Bermudian vacation would be more helpful, keeping in mind that your clientele would be searching for an "island vacation'' rather than an excursion to the ends of the earth.

The crystal turquoise water and magnificent beaches set among cliffs and sand dunes are the centrepiece of the Island's beauty. Gorgeous houses and well-kept gardens decorate the hillsides, even in modest neighbourhoods. The friendly and courteous nature of Bermudian people is the essential link that has led me to identify Bermuda as far superior to 22 islands that I have visited for a week or more. This brings me to a third point. I don't know why your government keeps emphasising those big hotels which they say should deliver five-star service and accommodations. Those hotels aren't filled because today's visitors are choosing smaller properties. I, for one, would never waste my money in a big, foreign-owned hotel with imported labour, no matter how good the service. I am happy at the Greenbank Guest House because the Bermudian owners and Bermudian staff are not just doling out service for a fee -- they are interested in helping their guests enjoy Bermuda, and they do it with a Bermudian perspective and manner that cannot be delivered in a big hotel by imported labour. Perhaps your government should revamp the notorious concession programme so that small properties can qualify for tax breaks. The net result could be more visitors in hotels, staying longer, and spending more money.

ELIZABETH A. SILOCKA Hamden, Conneticut Student makes sense August 12, 2000 Dear Sir, The following text was written by a Columbine student and e-mailed to me. It is insightful, as it is scary. The student writes: "The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. "We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

"We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

"These are the times of tall men, but short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference or just hit delete!'' Mr. Editor, the above writing shows that there are young people who are aware of what is going on around them and care; but isn't it always the way, it takes only a few to disrupt the whole meaning of life and the process of living and learning. What is also scary Mr. Editor, is that the above fits Bermuda to a tee, so I have to ask, "Have we copied the US that much?'' It certainly looks like it! This student's writing is really something to think about; and as he or she said, "We can choose either to make a difference or just hit delete!'' PAT FERGUSON Warwick Not impressed with PLP August 22, 2000 Dear Sir, Before the last election, more frequent garbage collection was an issue which the PLP made into political capital. I didn't have any complaints about the previous schedule...but I sure do now.

It has been three weeks since a truck has been in my neighbourhood to pick up recyclables. I suppose the problem is that Government doesn't have the money to pay for it -- after Terry Lister's and friends' trips to St. Kitts and Nevis... and fancy car purchases for the rest of his colleagues.

Transparency and accountability were part of the PLP's political platform. Now two years later -- there is no accountability and no transparency (except for broken campaign pledges).

TAXPAYER Paget Indifferent workmanship August 21, 2000 Dear Sir, Last week one of your correspondents was complaining that Canadian drywallers had been brought in to complete a building that would have provided him with work for eight months. The Canadians will complete the building in less than eight weeks (and could finish earlier if they didn't have to spend time patching up shoddy work performed by Bermudians in there before them). It is no wonder anyone can afford to build anything in Bermuda now when a straightforward job such as drywalling becomes a `make work' programme. What Bermudians will come to realise is that glacial speed and indifferent workmanship will only guarantee unemployment in due course. New builds and renovations will not proceed because prices are prohibitive.

Another of your correspondents was complaining bitterly about the harassment that she and other females were subjected to from a Par-la-Ville Road building site. Anyone who has gone along that road lately will know what she is talking about.

Unsupervised Bermudian workmen with no pride in their performance are doing themselves out of jobs, and attacking the future prospects of every Bermudian.

You can have all the legislative and administrative controls in the world to protect workers, but you cannot force people to invest or build. Economic viability and prospects for reward are the only motivators that work.

Government will eventually run out of schools and offices to build, as tax revenues fail and the PLP government disaster becomes painfully apparent to everyone.

TAXPAYER Paget Bad Cablevision service August 20, 2000 Dear Sir, I have been trying to get Cablevision to come to my home for over a year to clear the "snow'' on my screen. Each time I phone, the person on the answering service, says, oh yes, we have your name down, they will come within 48 hours! She didn't say which year! I have been speaking to other people with the same complaint and they too are so frustrated.

After all Cablevision charges enough for the service, but in the last two years, it appears there are no servicemen. What is happening to this company? Two of my friends have cancelled and gone back to satellite -- wish I could do the same only I don't have room.

I have really given up hope of ever getting my set fixed -- Oh well, I will just have to continue searching for the tennis and golf balls through the snow! SNOWBOUND Pembroke Let jury do its job August 18, 2000 Dear Sir, I hope that you will print this letter, as I feel that I am expressing the sentiments of a very large number of Bermudians who have been following the Middleton case.

A great deal of anguish that the Middleton murder has caused could have been avoided if the judge, at the time of the trial, had allowed the jury to do its job and make its own decision on the grounds of the evidence.

Instead the judge ordered the jury to bring in a not guilty verdict on account of what he called `insufficient evidence'. There was an audible gasp from the courtroom that resounded throughout the Island.

E. RABEN Paget Verge needs fixing August 22, 2000 Dear Sir, Imagine my delight when reading Tuesday's Royal Gazette and seeing a photo of a group of Government employees and the Minister of Works & Engineering Mr.

Alex Scott celebrating the repairs of the cliff sides along the railway trail in Southampton.

This now means that after "two years'' the public will now be able to use this popular path once again.

Please, Mr. Scott, note that on the South Road in Southampton the grass verge from the entrance of the Southampton Princess to Horseshoe Beach is riddled with crevices making it impossible to use, an observation made by a tourist many months ago. Yet it still remains to be fixed.

Mr. Scott if you can arrange to have the drive down to Horseshoe Beach completed and the verge re-instated, I would happily bring along my camera to record the end of another long project.

JOGGER Southampton