Dear Sir, Please allow me space in your column to chime in with D. Brown's letter about BTC in yesterday's paper. I just had to giggle, however, Mr. Brown, I hear you loud and clear.

We too have been waiting since May to use our Internet line, which we had installed so that we didn't have to tie up our main phone line. Altogether I'd say that we have had about 2 weeks' service out of it since it's initial installation.

I cannot count how many times my husband and I have called 611 to report it.

The first time they came up, they seemed to have fixed it, however, in the process, the repairman cut the line going to the phone in the bedroom. If we forget to take the cordless phone upstairs at night, we have to run dowstairs to answer the phone. A few weeks ago, someone finally came up again and acsertained that it was a cable problem and that he would pass it on to the cable people.

Since then absolutely nothing has happened. and we have just about given up.

We might as well have them disconnect it, for which they will undoubtedly charge us, I'm sure.

In the meantime we are still being charged for the rental of the line! They are not only quick to charge the $3.00 late fee, but they are also quick to disconnect your phone if you don't pay your bill! And yet, what can we do if they don't repair or connect our phones? NOTHING! Gracious, don't you know what it says under the Terms and Conditions? That they are not liable for any failure to provide serivce! Is there something wrong with this picture? In the midst of all this, my mother's phone started having problems.

There was water on the line. As my mother goes away for the summer and I look after things here, I called up immediately. This was at the beginning of August.

I have been told that it takes a few "working days'' (3-4 I think it was).

Well, 10 "working days'' later nothing had happened. I called again. Still nothing. I called again (and was told that I had only reported it once). How many calls does it actually take? I told them that my mother was due back on the island in a few days. They then told me to call back on Monday because it was Saturday and no one was working...how come the day that the second repairman came to our house it was a Saturday? Just curious. Monday arrived and my mother returned.

She phoned BTC herself and they finally came up on the following Friday (19th September). In my letter of complaint to BTC I asked what if there had been an emergency? In fact such a thing did happen. My mother's housekeeper had such an emergency in her family. A relative had suddenly taken ill and was dying and the other relatives were desperately trying to reach her at the house, obviously to no avail.

So, Mr. Brown, I can sympathise with you and, like you, would love to see another phone company on the island.

I also agree with "Tone Deaf's'' three points you included at the end of your letter.

By your calculations, you and I should receive at least nine months free service! Point two: its not just the CEO but also the managers of these different departments. Do they know what's going on either? Point three is another thing I brought up in my letter. Every time you call up they say they still have it on report, etc, but they never follow up and let you know what the heck is going on! If another company does make it to this island -- and God willing it won't be too long before that happens -- if you have already claimed first place in the sign-up line, the I claim second place right behind you!...Anybody else? KDBW Pembroke Defence of Dolphin Quest September 24, 1999 Dear Sir, I am writing in response to all of those who sit in condemnation of the decision made by Dr. Rae and the staff of Dolphin Quest in keeping the four dolphins within their keep at the Southampton Princess location.

I am not an employee of Dolphin Quest. However, I am aware that efforts began well before Tuesday September 21st to secure the dolphins, whether it was transporting them to the Maritime Museum (which I believe began on Friday) or securing the keep at the Southampton Princess.

There are a few who seem quick to condemn, without knowing the full details of events and information received by Dolphin Quest leading up to Tuesday. While I am no expert in dolphins or marine life, I do know that the Dolphins at Dolphin Quest are treated more like children than animals. They are VERY WELL taken care of and AT NO TIME would anyone staff member just "leave the animals to fend for themselves''.

Not one of us has a right to sit in judgment in this situation. Many factors were involved in the decision making process, probably one of the more major factors being the presence of the baby dolphin.

It is my understanding that juvenile dolphins should not be moved or transported until they are at least of couple of years old. Dolphin Quest's baby is just months old. The baby has a better chance where it is right now, than it did if it were moved.

Had the baby been transported to the Maritime Museum and suffered major trauma and died, the same people condemning Dr. Rae and Dolphin Quest for leaving the dolphins in their keep, would be the same people condemning them for risking the baby's life by transporting it! For Mr. Outerbridge who felt it necessary to go running to the News Media on Monday evening before finding out the exact situation, accusing Dr. Rae and Dolphin Quest of "the worst case of animal abuse you've ever seen'' disgusts me.

I find it very interesting that he was/is so concerned about the safety and well being of these animals, yet he is not out there assisting with the task of locating the dolphins.

Perhaps your energy would be better served in this way sir! For the staff of Dolphin Quest, the situation may not be what you had expected and there may be questions as to why you made the decisions you did.

However I have no doubt in my mind that you made the best possible decision you could at the time with the information you had. Your dolphins are healthy, strong animals who are probably a lot smarter than most of us.

For those volunteers who are assisting Dolphin Quest in locating Gibbs, Dobber, Cirrus and the baby -- THANK YOU.

It is refreshing to see the community come together to assist in this effort rather than sitting comfortably in their homes attacking a well run educational facility such as Dolphin Quest.

Without their presence, there would be many of us who would never have the chance to see, let alone learn about such wonderful creatures.

Dolphin Quest, I wish you luck in your efforts and will be there on Saturday with my binoculars to assist you in your efforts.

Kerry Todd Devonshire Education Dept. to blame September 19, 1999 Dear Sir, Our illiteracy rate can be focused solely on one Government department and that is: Education. It is fatuous for anyone to cast aspersions elsewhere as this department must take full responsibility. And heads should fall.

The UBP has granted over one BILLION dollars, yes one BILLION dollars to this department and yet we have this deficiency. There was, I believe, a commission of sorts investigating this department during the past several years, but no report has yet been disclosed.

So to the PLP and other critical cousins, get off the UBP's back and place the blame squarely where it lies, i.e., on the backs of our PHDs and other degree laden civil servants.

AD REM.

City of Hamilton Cell towers a hazard September 22, 1999 Dear Sir, Cellular One's Towers are not safe. At Faraway we are being exposed to 17% of the maximum allowable limit. Scotts Hill 44% of the maximum radiation exposure limit.

The list goes on. These are according to the recent report. It is a false statement to say they are safe.

These towers should be higher and away from populated areas.

Cellular One lied when they said that their towers were 100s of times lower than FCC maximum exposure limits.

The whole public should be taking this as a serious impact on their health as the exposure limits are just as startling Island-wide.

People should start asking how much Renee Webb is willing to expose them to before she takes any safer course.

INFORMED Warwick