Relaxing the dress code for our argumentative legislators is an excellent idea. Some could arrive dressed in combat gear and a few of them should be wearing straitjackets! FASHION FAIR Southampton A question of dress July 31, 2000 Dear Sir, In recent weeks there has been a certain amount of discussion, both pro and con over the question of a relaxed dress code in Bermuda's highest legislative authority. Indeed, the talk has been entered on accepting Bermuda's business dress, African National Dress, National Dress, Nehru and Safari suits.

The wearing of incorrect dress in Africa could be considered hazardous to your health, dangerous and in extreme circumstances suicidal; let me explain.

In Africa, North, East, South and West there is no such thing as National Dress, only tribal, the wearing of which is strictly limited to its own members and considered an insult if worn by a non-tribal person; worse even than a slap across the face.

Take Nigeria as an example, a country I used to know very well. There are four major tribes, Hausa and Fulani in the North, Ibo in the East and Yoruba in the South West. In addition, there are 296 variations, each with its own language, customs, dress and traditions.

The Yoruba dress will probably be the best known in the New World on account of its significance to the slave trade and is quite popular with tourists and foreigners in general. However, with that said, if you were foolhardy enough to wear a Yoruba dress, say up north and were unable to respond to the challenge, without the correct password, you would be in trouble.

Turning now to Nehru suits and safari wear. Prime Minister Nehru always wore a white hat with his and Safari wear I believe to be an invention of Abercrombie & Fitch, part of their "white hunter'' line.

Having been on safari in Kenya, Tanzania and one time to Uganda my safari wear ran to a bush jacket, olive green trousers, desert boots, to protect from venomous snakes and a floppy hat. I looked more like Fidel Castro than a "white hunter''.

Our Bermuda business wear looks quite smart if you have the legs, but I do remember something about Bahama length shorts; maybe we should ask them.

The ways of Bermuda are many, varied and increasingly mysterious. I love my Bermuda, its people, its customs and its traditions, keep the faith.

DOUGLAS C. ROBERTS Sandys Parish Put housing up front August 1, 2000 Dear Sir, I'm glad to see that the affordable housing issue is front and centre on the first page of today's paper, as it should be. In 1998 and prior to, the Coalition for Affordable Housing and the National Tenants and Future Homeowners Association lobbied the then UBP government to give back to the Bermuda people the land and homes that became available when the US bases pulled out. Our cries and pleas fell on deaf ears then and what's even more worrisome is that they continue to fall on deaf ears.

While I put a lot of the blame for this current crisis, (yes Minister Bascome, it is a crisis) on the government, past and present, I also lay partial blame on the people, who at the time that CFAH and NTFHA were high profile lobbying, had implored them to come out and support us in our effort to raise the consciousness with regard to the lack of affordable housing, they could not sacrifice their time to show up to meetings and rallies and therefore left the people in power, with the sense that the issue was of no real concern and consequently they find themselves individually fighting for their right to affordable housing. There is strength in numbers! I have always maintained that it was criminal of the past UBP government to demolish housing on the Southside property. It is just as criminal of the PLP government to allow usable buildings to deteriorate, because they have a business plan arranged with BLDC and that takes priority. The People of Bermuda should always be the priority, especially when there is a provision in the BLDC Act whereby this government can make amendments to the implementation of this legislation, as long as it benefits the people of Bermuda.

There are several buildings and homes for people to rent and/or be given the opportunity to upgrade on all of the existing baselands. I've also talked to workers on the Baselands that have adamantly disagreed with the statement that the conditions of the demolished buildings where in such an "unusable state''. Yes, there was some asbestos in the buildings, but it was encapsulated and would not have posed a serious health problem, unless a workmen or a contractor disturbed it and it became airborne.

I question why wasn't the full report of the condition of the Baselands printed in the daily for all to pursue and have a better understanding of the dangers which supposedly exists. Why do the people, paid to make sound decisions, insult our intelligence by offering the excuse that the US personnel lived in unfit conditions so therefore Bermudians can't possibly live there? Allowing needed already established housing sit vacant. When you are threatened with the possibility of no roof, working with a leaky roof becomes a saving grace.

There are many people being affected by the lack of affordable housing. I've had conversations with Policemen, nursing staff, bank staff, hospitality workers, truck drivers, taxi operators, single moms, single dads, two or more income families, all complaining that they are under a lot of pressure to provide adequate and affordable housing for their loved ones.

Domestic violence, drug use, road rage, incest, and many other societal ills are the domino effect of people having to live in inadequate and overcrowded conditions. All the band-aid psychological chit chat is not going to help one iota if people don't feel respected and given the chance to live in a home environment, conductive of fostering the hope of a better quality of life altogether.

Trying to put the fault on people who own cars instead of a house is just another way that Minister Bascome doesn't get it. I personally, have one child, own a paid-for second-hand car, had over $70K in the bank, yet was unable to secure a mortgage through the banking institutions. If I had to save a down-payment necessary to suffice the traditional Bermuda banking institutions ($100,000 ) to buy a home adequate for my needs and pay for my continued expensive and upwardly spirally existence, I would never owned a home here in Bermuda. When you have the nursery schools, charging extra money for children that stay after 5.30 p.m. Do you think that encourages parents to catch a bus and pick up their children? I think not, they need a car to make it in time to maybe one or two places, especially if they have more than one child.

Owning a car is not a luxury. The transportation system here in Bermuda is very good, however, it still needs to be fine-tuned and alternatives to owning a car be implemented (e.g. incentive for car-pooling), before you can get Bermudians to buy in to the fact, that they don't have to buy a car before their home. You must change the mind set and the connectivity of the transportation system to reflect the overall need to make the changes that will enhance our infrastructure and benefit the environment.

Minister Bascome and the current PLP government have got to stop acting like they are still the Opposition, unable to institute real change and become the Government that the people elected to make necessary long awaited changes.

Changes that should alleviate the constant pressurised state that most Bermudians are living under. There seems to be more police presence and more barriers cutting you off from your God given rights as a Bermudian, other punitive and restrictive changes taking place everyday, but the one phenomenal change that could foster a renewed respect for our country, our leaders and our fellow men is not forthcoming.

COREEN TUCKER City of Hamilton Portuguese can assimilate August 1, 2000 Dear Sir, We are supposed to have a representative Government despite the occasional suggestion that because of our slave past and colonial status we are very vulnerable to succumbing to a dictatorship. Therefore "Casey'' should know that Mr. Lister is attempting to represent a black community which has been expressing their frustration, anger and bitterness at the racism in the society for decades. Considering the abuse that he has had to undergo as well as the charge of creating anger fear and hostility as a result, he would not be a very wise politician to attempt to speak on behalf of those that have never asked him to represent them, nor raised any concern until after the legislation was passed.

This is particularly true since politicians of Portuguese descent have never once in the years of discussing these issues raised their voices to express any concern about this discrimination. I am given to understand that the Portuguese community is a very tight community, politically speaking. It would have been not only unwise but arrogant for Mr. Lister to have attempted to speak on their behalf since the UBP which does represent the majority of Portuguese heard nothing from them when they first passed the CURE legislation in 1993.

We have a black Premier who was so busy attempting to "assimilate'' that for years he did not want the issue of racism to be raised. The Portuguese who, as Europeans, can assimilate much more successfully and who, very often, having becoming anglicized, would have been justified in turning on him in fury if he had attempted to include them in legislation that Blacks demanded. It has been a very long time since the Portuguese Community insisted that a sharp line of distinction be drawn between themselves who came here voluntarily and the descendants of black slaves who had no choice. They were of course quite right, both politically and socially. They had come to improve their economic and social circumstances and not to worsen them by being associated with blacks.

I hope that Mr. Lister is a shrewd enough politician to recognise that this sudden out burst of concern about the Portuguese is really simply because some of them have been sufficiently "assimilated'' that they are joining the attack of some of the white businessmen, but from a different angle. They are simply furious that he has done anything at all, that is why they have waited until the legislation has passed. They would have done nothing before because they hoped it would have been totally undermined and they would not have wanted to give further justification to doing something about this very discriminatory society.

EVA N. HODGSON Hamilton Parish Waiting for Green Paper July 31, 2000 Dear Sir, When the long awaited Green Paper on Long Term Residents finally arrives, I hope it will exclude the fifteen working years rule, at least for spouses of WRC permit holders, with 20 or more years of residency in the island.

A US style Green Card leading eventually to status, as suggested by previous PLP leadership, would also be very welcome.

I sincerely hope that after the new immigration laws regarding the length of work permits have been sorted out to the satisfaction of the majority of Bermudians, that the present Government, will find it appropriate to deal with the outstanding issue of the Long Term Residents of Bermuda.

HOPEFUL LONG TERM RESIDENT Sandys Parish