I read with interest the comment made by your correspondent "Hopeful Hound'', that "legislators and law enforcers must start to see the overall problem of dangerous dogs for what it is: namely a true reflection of and intimately connected to our social and civil disorder problems.

How true! Not only dangerous dogs but reckless, ill mannered road users. The latter are constantly exhorted to improve their behaviour on the roads but the words fall on deaf ears and those who make the appeals are wasting their breath. The real problem, as with the dog situation, goes much deeper and has everything to do with the "new morality'' espoused by today's progressive liberals. Obsessed with "rights'' of every description, they have downgraded the importance of duties, obligations and responsibilities and have eliminated altogether any basic moral education in the schools.

The vast majority of road users in Bermuda are reasonably careful and considerate and clearly the appeals are not addressed to them but to that small minority of mainly young people who are ill-mannered, inconsiderate, selfish and arrogant. They are typical products of today's "me'' society. I would like to quote something written by Edmund Burke 200 years ago: "Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without.'' The community at large, regardless of ethnic origins, must join in vociferously condemning those who engaged in anti-social behaviour so that eventually the perpetrators will recognise the disapproval of society and perhaps begin to feel some sense of shame instead of (as in some cases at present) pride.

Moral education must be re-introduced in the schools so that youngsters are made very aware of the fact that society disapproves strongly of anti-social behaviour. And, of course, the role of parents in contributing to the moral education of their offspring cannot be overemphasised.

Unfortunately, too many parents today are in need of moral education themselves.

HENRY KAYE Hamilton Parish Expat moans all the time July, 1999 Dear Sir, Thank you for allowing me space in your column to quickly note my observation of some expatriates that are here on this Island.

I am only speaking of the ones that I have come into contact with and not all.

Some are indeed quite nice, and easy to get along with, but some are absolutely obnoxious and rude (I guess that goes for any nationality).

I work in particular with one English gentleman, who does nothing but complain about Bermuda. He has absolutely nothing good to say about Bermuda or her people. I find this quite offensive, being a born Bermudian. I have nicely expressed to him "in so many words'' on an innumerable amount of occasions, that if he does not like Bermuda, he should just leave.

He compares Bermuda with England in almost everything, my feelings are "go back and live in England then sir'', trust me we won't miss you. If we cannot find a Bermudian to fill your post, hopefully, we can find a pleasant expat because yes we do need some of you, but not all. The pleasant ones we will keep.

Bermudians, we do not have to sit back and listen to expats criticise our lovely home, how it is run, how Bermudians as people act or anything derogatory that a foreigner living on our land has to say. "MY MOTTO IS IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, LEAVE''...

TIRED OF EXPATS Hamilton Youngsters were helpful July 27, 1999 Dear Sir, This short life on the bus letter is addressed to the young men and women of Bermuda, aged 18 to about 25 who ride our public transportation. I know that there are not many of you, but I want to publicly state just how important your contribution to Bermuda's transportation system is. I have watched many of you speak to our younger riders in a way that only someone of your age could.

You have reminded the younger people of Bermuda to exhibit good manners and proper public etiquette especially toward our older riding public and I for one want to say thank you, and keep up the good work.

DR. MIKE Smith's Parish Make courts accountable July 27, 1999 Dear Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to correct my statement as presented on VSB-radio in which I stated that the driver in the Magistrate Edward King case I was discussing was driving at 65 miles per hour when in fact I intended to say 65 kilometers per hour. This slip of the tongue does not alter my sentiments on the decision. Nor does it alter the fact that an extremely lenient sentence was handed out for an excessive speed that in years gone by was generally an automatic sentence of time off the road.

There is an interesting point in this case, one that takes it beyond simple leniency on the part of the courts, and that is the offer of the guilty party to bring Edward King various food items and to clean his office. In other courts this would more than likely be viewed as bribing a judge and would be addressed as such, often with a more serious fine or sentence than usual in order to convey that attempting to bribe a judge is unacceptable. In this case, the guilty party got off with a light sentence, as requested. Edward King admits he has "never met anyone like her''. Are we to infer from this case that if we beg and offer favours to the judge that we will be handed leniently? On the front page of the same paper that reported this Edward King case, the mourning of crash victim Callan Eugene Herbert was reported, the fifth road fatality of this year. Every fatality is a tragedy. No one wants their loved one to be a road statistic. Having come so close to being a statistic myself, my heart goes out to the family and friends of Callan. And yet I fear that, without cooperation of the courts in taking action to prevent further unsafe driving practices, more and more fatalities each year will become the norm.

The second in which my car was struck by an unsafe, speeding driver has altered my life and my health forever. The next unsafe driver let off without an appropriate sentence could be heading straight for any of you. It is time for the Bermudian public to hold the courts accountable and demand explanations for poor judgements.

VIVIAN SMATT Pembroke Police Service caring July 27, 1999 Dear Sir, Please print the following letter. It is the best I can do to say "Thank You'' to my employer, the Bermuda Police Service and to let people know that when you give of yourself just a little, you get a whole lot more in return.

This is the eve of my departure from Bermuda to Boston Children's Hospital with my son, Cristian Che, 5 years old, for major surgery. At this time I feel obliged to express to you that at no other time in the history of my professional life, have I felt more proud to be a Police officer, than at this time with the Bermuda Police Service.

There have been numerous occasions when I have approached my superior officers to inform them that I need to tend to my son's medical needs. As Cristian is a Cerebral Palsy child, there is ongoing follow up care both in Bermuda and overseas, in a constant effort to help him to walk. At every request, I have been met with caring support and unconditional, selfless efforts to meet our needs. Thank you.

At a time when the Bermuda Police Service is under the careful scrutiny of the community and media, and many times with negative reviews, not enough is said about the positive human elements that make up the members of this service.

And it is at a time like this, when I am frozen with both fear and anticipation, that I have recognised that both my colleagues and higher-ranking officers are true ladies, gentlemen and abiding servants.

To all the officers of the Bermuda Police Service I would like to say, watch over yourselves and each other. For there are times when we are not appropriately armed when dealing with members of our public who challenge our skills. It is at times like these that I hope the goodness within us will be the most appropriate armour of all.

MARIE ALVES PICARD PC976 Hamilton Parish France not always rainy July 28, 1999 Dear Sir, I take exception to the comment made by Dame Lois Evans Brown in The Royal Gazette on July 26, 1999 in which she stated that "in France it rains all the time''.

I wish to let know future travellers planning to visit France that it is not so. With seventy million tourists travelling to France last year, it is the most visited country in the world. I would add that this summer it has not rained yet in the south of France for two months.

Comments as such serve only to alienate 58 millions citizens of that country.

CHEVALIER DE L'ORDRE NATIONAL DU MERITE Paget Hodgson is `very bitter' August 3, 1999 Dear Sir, I am responding to Dr. Eva Hodgson's letter in the Letters to The Editor in today's paper. You are a very bitter, angry person. How do you, or anyone else with your attitude (black or white), expect young Bermudians to act today towards each other without them being a racist? It is with attitudes like yours that you pass it on to the next generations. White people are sorry for what happened to us blacks way back when. Why do you insist on punishing the whites today for something that happened a long time ago by their ancestors and for something they had no control over what happened then. Should you be punished too for what your ancestors did? Can't people just forgive and let this go? Would you like us to start digging in your closet and bring out your past and hold it over your head for the rest of your life and the future generations of your family? I would hope not! What's happened has happened! I pray that God would change your heart and give you a forgiving heart and let the issue die! A BLACK BERMUDIAN Warwick Shock at gaming Premier August 3, 1999 Dear Sir, Please allow me some space to express to you and your staff my utter disdain for your reprehensible conduct in plastering a picture of our gambling Premier all over the front of the newspaper on Saturday, July 31, 1999. In all of my years, I have never seen such tasteless conduct portrayed of a Government official in all my born days.

I believe that this new committee, designed by the Government to examine press conduct, should start with your coverage of the Premier at the crown and anchor table as she was placing her bets. Your actions in my opinion are perilous. Your peril, should be determined by the Hon. Premier to warrant a public flogging at the Flag Pole on Front Street so all can see.

The idea that your paper would portray this upstanding, Christian, God-fearing member of the AME Church engaged in an activity frowned upon by the doctrines of the Christian church, and the AME Church goes against the grain of the majority of this community. Clearly, this newspaper has shown no respect for this high office. The Premier or Bermuda should, at all times, be portrayed in the best possible light. The office requires that the post holder be held in esteem and be afforded the respect and admiration of the Parliament and the community. Your actions Mr. Editor have brought reproach upon this high office.

Mr. Editor, your continued success and favour in this country may be subject to an overhaul of your public conduct. Had your appointment been subject to a general election, I would campaign against you based on low ideals and inappropriate conduct in office. Those who have held your post of responsibility before you never stooped to such low conduct.

Mr. Editor let the record reflect that we are in the New Bermuda. Therefore, public conduct and its demonstrations will be judged differently. As a result of your demonstration of the Premier I have had to change how I pray for her.

I have prayed much about her vice for champagne, now I must add gambling to the list.

I believe there should be an outcry in the House of Assembly and community that calls this newspaper to public confession and repentance over these sins you have committed against this high office and this Hon. Premier.

As a minister I would be prepared to hear your confession myself on behalf of the country.

REV. DR. LEONARD SANTUCCI Hamilton Campers are an eyesore August 2, 1999 Dear Sir, With our new Government trying to draw new visitors to the Island, and presumably Mr. Allen and his staff working very hard. Why then is it every summer we have a ghetto spring up on the South Shore below Warwick Camp? There are people living in tents destroying the foliage, killing all the grass, and leaving garbage all over the place. I go down there just about every Sunday for a swim, and several times each summer I have been approached by tourists wanting to know if this is Bermuda's slums? Or is this where all the poor live? And it is not just me, I know many others who have had the same questions asked them. I even have had complaints from the staff of The Bermuda Department of Tourism. Now I see that last Sunday they have generators down there to power their refrigerators, stoves, TVs, and VCRs. This is not camping! And the tents are creeping up the hill side too. Where will it all stop? Will they be along the roadside next? This does nothing but cheapen our image, and puts us in line with such third world countries as Jamaica.

Are there no regulations in this practice? Can't we have law enforcement there on an permanent basis during the summer to keep these people in line? It is obvious no-one else is doing anything about it.

What about the old navy base. Why can't the campers be sent down there? Then they cannot be seen from the main road and cause such a disgusting eyesore to our tourists and residents alike.

BERMUDIAN Sandys Parish