My last Saturday, which was in New Orleans, was just fine but my Wednesday was somewhat spoiled when I read Bob Stewart's letter headed Bad Economic Policy.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that Mr. Stewart's view as expressed in his letter of February 2 is too simplistic. Does he think it was wrong of the UBP Government to make an exception to a rule so that ACE and XL could buy and develop the Bermudiana property? Probably not. Does he think that it is wrong for the PLP Government to make an exception to a rule so that the Castle Harbour property can be redeveloped? Apparently so! I think we have to recognise that finding the money for the redevelopment of the Castle Harbour Hotel is not going to be easy. As Mr. Stewart says, if Marriott failed, why not the Regency Group? Who in their right mind would invest their money in a new large hotel at this time in Bermuda? The Monitor organisation has helped to heal the rifts between management and labour in the hotel industry and to mobilise support for tourism from the general public but it is still not enough.

It behoves us to think about this problem "out of the box.'' Bermuda Properties, I am told, have developed a master plan which includes a 200 room suite hotel, a club condo development, a new golf clubhouse, a teaching centre and driving range. Bermuda needs this exciting new complex but it is not going to get it without some help from Government.

Bob Stewart would have us believe that the $30 million guarantee is the equivalent of an outright handout of $500 from every resident in Bermuda. But is it? My guess is that the $30 million comes from a combination of duties that are waived, real estate revenues to be collected from non resident buyers and perhaps tax revenues to be collected from the new hotel operation. These prospective revenues will not occur if the project does not get off the ground and it is reasonable for the Government to make a deal which uses the prospective revenue flow to ensure it does. The reality is probably that the Government's guarantee will cost us nothing.

Is this really so unreasonable? I think not. There will be jobs in the first instance for the construction industry and then ongoing jobs for hotel workers, beauticians, golf teachers, maintenance people, landscapers and the list goes on. Not all of Bermuda's youngsters are suited or would be happy working in International business. Numerous youngsters do not wish for white-collar jobs. We need to find a way to revitalise our tourism industry and the give back of front-end taxes on the Castle Harbour project is, in my view, an acceptable trade off. In fact it is good thinking and would probably have been agreed to by a UBP Government.

G. KIRKHAM KITSON City of Hamilton Insulting our intelligence February 3, 2000 Dear Sir, I was just wondering why do people like Robert Stewart and Grant Gibbons try to insult the intelligence of the residents of this country? First, Grant Gibbons says we must be careful not to be so foolish with the tax-payers' money. If his party (UBP) had taken his own astute advice beforehand, perhaps the Marriott would not have closed in the first place.

Nevertheless, what he fails to acknowledge is that with the Marriott closing, there is no tax-payers' money to lose in the first place. Quite simply, if there is no hotel, there is no valuable income to the taxpayers -If you want proof of this, take a look at the dead Club Med property! The deal made by the PLP government tries to ensure that the lost revenue earned at the Marriott is quickly replaced by new projects by the Regency Group.

Second, Robert Stewart tries his best to manipulate public opinion by placing some kind of foregone opportunity cost on the $30 million. Well, unless he is lacking in understanding, he should know that it is a $30 million dollar bond -- not a gift or a prize. Bermudians lose the money only if the project turns sour -- compare that to the economic cost of losing one of the Island's five major hotel properties, and I'm sure that the $30 million risk is a fraction of what we really lose with a dead hotel. The real ignorance in his letter though, is his condemnation of the PLP for granting the Regency Group tax concessions. I only have one question for him. What on earth does he think is the primary driver of our booming international business industry? Last I checked it was an overabundance of tax concessions. If he tried to tally up what tax-payers theoretically forego to international business, I'm certain that he'd have to rethink his warped logic.

Just in case anyone is under any illusions, tourism is in dire need of investment that can be guaranteed by solid returns. I commend the PLP Government for what they have done, and encourage other hotels to also find ways to deliver superior services demanding the same tax benefits.

JUST ANOTHER BYE Sandys Parish No more expat bashing February 1, 2000 Dear Sir, I am a 30-year-old Bermudian male, who is sick and tired of hearing how much time is invested in trying to get rid of "the Expats''.

If Bermudians would just stop and think before they open their mouths or express their thoughts about expats, we would all come to realise that they are a vital cog in the mechanics of a healthy and thriving society. If we want to compete in international business, we should look at how we can work together and learn from one another so that we can all benefit from each others knowledge and experience. As a result of this we can become a stronger Bermuda, not just stronger Bermudians.

There are thousands of Bermudians who at one time or another have had the opportunity and privilege of working in another country, some as part of their education, some to gain further experience, and some through international companies based in Bermuda that transfer Bermudians to subsidiary branches throughout the world. So let us not forget that once you step off of our gem in the Atlantic the shoe is on the other foot, because you are now the expat.

Let us get back to our gem in the Atlantic. Those expats who have the opportunity to work and reside in Bermuda, eighty percent of the time are the ones who can afford our overpriced rental units. They may even buy a "piece of the rock'' which anyone will agree is very pricey, and then on top of it pay a further 15 percent to 20 percent to Government, for the so called privilege of owning property. They employ our landscapers to prune and groom their yards. I'm sure that the local plant nurseries are also grateful for their support. The Bermudian painters and construction companies for the never-ending maintenance on a house. They eat at our restaurants, or employ our catering services for their home entertainment. They shop at our supermarkets and clothing stores as opposed to the patriotic Bermudian who will try to buy everything including the kitchen sink abroad, and the list goes on.

Hard work and dedication always prevails. We have to realise that just because one has a high school education and a certificate in bookkeeping one is not an accountant. One need only attend the Bermuda College night classes and see the amount of expats who are further educating themselves. We all have the same opportunities, it's just that some of us grab hold of them with both hands and some of us wait for them to be bought to us! It is always easier to point the finger at someone else, so think twice before you "EXPAT BASH'' because the expat you might be bashing could be the one that employs you or someone in your family, he/she might even be renting an apartment from you or buying products from your store. The bottom line is that if you want and deserve something bad enough nothing will beat hard work, it might not be the expat that is holding you back! M.B.

Warwick East A simple solution February 3, 2000 Dear Sir, Today's article (on the internet) tells of the crackdown on traffic offences and the benefits Bermuda will derive from such action. One thing listed as a drawback is the possibility of clogging the courts. It seems that the majority of traffic offenders would not need to appear in court at all, unless to plead not guilty. Why not have a system where the ticket includes the amount of the fine, and the offender just mails it in? JOE LINDO North Carolina