I would be grateful if you could afford me space in your column to respond to a letter I read today written by "Coat and Tails'' of Sandys Parish. Clearly Mr. Coat and Tails sees racism at every turn, from the tone of his little story about his hotel stay in New York City.

In the case of the lady in the elevator whom Coat and Tails perceived to be overly cautious, not to mention downright afraid -- presumably because he is "a black man'', I would like to suggest the following: (a) New York City is New York City -- still. A place where caution, particularly on the part of a woman alone in a hotel corridor with a stranger, is quite understandable. (b) For all Coat and Tails knew, this woman may have had an unfortunate experience on exiting an elevator into an otherwise empty corridor, with someone she didn't know, and (c) New Yorkers, as I know them, would naturally be on guard with anyone who beams at them and offers the "Good Morning'' ritual, which seems so critical to the lives of so many Bermudians. After all, New Yorkers are New Yorkers.

Smile at one you don't know, and speak -- they think automatically you are not too tightly wrapped, or a downright threat.

Perhaps Coat and Tails would do well on his next trip to become more aware of the lifestyle and current events at his destination. Finally, it might do well for Coat and Tails to consider the fact, that most people -- of any race, probably see him as an expensively dressed black Bermudian, no more and no less.

JACK GAUNTLETT Pembroke Be a considerate driver January 25, 2001 Dear Sir, The Rotary Club of Hamilton supports the efforts of the Road Safety Council as they work for positive change in the driving habits of our road users. We would like to remind the community of the importance of joining the Considerate Drivers Club which is sponsored by our club. There is no cost and stickers are available at Transport Control. The Bank of Bermuda and the Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Ltd. Why not join the ranks of those who aspire to be role models for the community? As Bermuda tries to come to grips with noise and pollution problems it's interesting to note in the January issue of The Rotarian (a monthly magazine that is circulated to 1,180,550 Rotarians around the world) there is an article about "Cleaning up the air in the Eternal City'' by Ivy A.

Bartholomew.

"In 45 B.C. traffic congestion and noise prompted Julius Caesar to prohibit wagons on Rome's streets during the daytime. Unfortunately, over the centuries, enforcement has slackened. After the automobile was invented, traffic continued to mount until 1973, when private vehicles were officially banned from the city's ancient sections.'' "However, air pollution continued to plague the city, and in 1998 it was reported that living and breathing in Rome was equivalent to smoking 13 cigarettes a day. Italy boasts more cars per capita than any other European country -- one per 1.8 residents. According to World Health Organization estimates, air pollution claims more than 15,000 Italian lives annually.'' "In an effort to help residents and visitors breathe more easily, Rome and other major cities across Europe are devising plans to maintain current rates of development in a more environmentally responsible manner. Plans include controlling traffic growth (by banning all or some cars, restricting parking availability and promoting public transportation), improving the environmental performance of vehicles and increasing public awareness about the impact of car emissions.'' The Canadian magazine, "MacLeans'' also has an article (by Michelle Mallette) entitled "A slave to cars no more''. This story deals with the consumer's dilemma with the cost of owning and maintaining a car and compares this with the cost of using Vancouver's transit system. The greater Vancouver area is involved in a controversy over a levy of between $40 and $120 per vehicle for transit improvements. The author's monthly transit pass is "$7 more now than it was in spring, so I'm paying my share, though critics of the levy often assert otherwise. Vancouver's transit system is adequate, but needs more buses on more routes...'' Be a considerate driver! W.A. (TOPPY) COWEN Vice president Hamilton Rotary Club The way things are January 27, 2001 Dear Sir, I was more than a little surprised at your lead story in today's (Saturday, January 27) newspaper. `A walk on the wild side'. A civil servant not doing his job and a contractor willing to let someone else (anyone else) accept responsibility for the problems they cause is not news in Bermuda. Its just how things are.

Several years ago, one of my mother's neighbours applied for a permit to build a garage on his property adjacent to my mother's land. His permit was approved with the condition that the building be built five feet from the boundary.

This is called a setback. Setbacks are monitored by (or supposed to be) by Planning Department in my mother's dispute. Mr. Sheldon Fox was informed that her neighbour had not only not complied with the five-foot setback but had built his garage one and a half feet on her property. No one at planning bothered to check out my mother's claim even though she later won her case in the Supreme Court (case 1993, No: 441) and successfully fought the neighbour's appeal (1996, No: 9) the planning department has yet to take any action against the neighbour for totally ignoring Planning's ruling.

Not to mention that in any other jurisdiction in the world the neighbour would be held in contempt of court for totally ignoring the Supreme Court justices' ruling.

As Sheldon Fox from Planning told me last week, it's not my fault, talk to my boss, Mr. Hollis. I would've talked to Mr. Hollis but he still hasn't returned my calls.

I would have talked to a reporter but people not doing their jobs in Bermuda is not news, as Ed Ball says.

CURTIS A. DAWSON Pembroke Cadet scheme `travesty' January 29, 2001 Dear Sir, I write in relation to a recent headline regarding the `dismissal' of Police cadets from the re-introduced Police Cadet Programme due to failing grades. I cite the case of the young man, whose mother was quoted as saying that her son was an outstanding student at the CedarBridge Academy, though it appears his grades were, at best, mediocre.

If the above is fact, then the local community should be outraged at this travesty. The incident indicates that there are fundamental flaws in the Bermudian education system, an issue that has bounced around the Legislature like a ping-bong ball for the past ten years. In an Island as small and as wealthy as Bermuda, there is absolutely no reason why there should be such seemingly low standards of education in the public schools.

Education is an issue where a bipartisan approach is the only logical way forward. Rather than lay blame on the previous administration or the new Government, the parties must work together and reach a consensus on the best way to improve education. In other words it is time to stop treating education as a political issue.

Our young people are the future of Bermuda. If the publicly funded education system is failing our students, then the very future of international business and the income that it generates is at risk. We cannot expect insurance companies and other such businesses to employ Bermudians if they cannot `make the grade' expected by these companies.

It would be wrong and false for the Government and Opposition to ignore the serious and long-term consequences of apparently low standards in our schools.

The release by the Bermuda Police of the cadets in the Cadet Programme is merely the tip of the iceberg of a very worrying and potentially devastating problem.

A BERMUDIAN OVERSEAS London, United Kingdom Facts about cats January 29, 2001 Dear Sir, The January 22 "Give Feral Cats a Home'' letter raises ethical issues that have no easy solutions or correct answers. While I cannot speak for BFAB, I would like to offer the following comments: Most cats at the feeding stations are feral. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to domesticate a feral cat. Consequently, the "one cat for every home'' proposal is not feasible.

With limited manpower, BFAB volunteers often trap cats, have them tested for infectious diseases (euthanized if positive for FeLV or FIV), sterilised and, if there are kittens, an effort is made to determine if they can be domesticated and then adopted.

Mother Nature designed a cat to chase, kill and eat certain animals for sustenance and survival. As a bird lover, a bluebird killed by a cat is disturbing to me but this behaviour is instinctual rather than malicious or diabolical. Generally, even well-fed, domesticated felines will attack a bird if the opportunity arises. Can we expect a cat to be selective between a bluebird and a sparrow? I believe that many of us, including myself, are part of the problem by doing nothing. If enough animal enthusiasts volunteer, could we not make a substantive difference in trapping for sterilisation, kitten domestication and euthanasia? Theoretically, with ample manpower, the problem would dissipate with all remaining feral cats being sterilised and living out their natural lives.

Another serious issue is the unethical treatment by people who abandon their pets, sometimes even dropping them at BFAB stations. Anyone who thinks this action is acceptable is part of the problem. Anyone who believes that a domesticated animal can easily fend for itself once abandoned is sadly mistaken. Aside from the trauma of owner abandonment, the animal faces possible hunger, starvation, parasite infestation, infectious diseases -- it may survive, but with a drastically reduced quality of life.

I would urge everyone to commit to proper care and treatment for the life of your animal. If everyone in Bermuda agreed to do this, it would go a long way in helping us become a more caring and compassionate community. In return for meeting their basic requirements for shelter, nutrition, exercise, affection and proper medical attention, pets provide us with immeasurable loyalty and companionship. In the words of Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.'' K. WHITE Devonshire