copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Ms Smith, I am very pleased that the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) has finally been given the opportunity to prove themselves as political leaders. However, am I not wrong in my assumption that the majority of the PLP are `ex-Berkeleyites'? If this is a case, should not a revolution be under way to turn our treasured school back into the prestigious institution that it once was? I am sorely displeased at the travesty that has befallen our Alma Mater. Are we going to sit back and watch as it fades into nonexistence like many of our other great learning institutions, or will all `ex-Berkeleyites' join me in an effort to reclaim our school? Have we forgotten the pride that we took in the words `Berkeley' when asked the question of which school we attended? Or how we held our heads high in our freshly pressed uniforms and polished shoes? Gone are the neat hairstyles, fresh creases, and strict disciple that made our school so respectable and invoked pride in all its members.

`The Berkeley Institute' was the school which my children, were I ever to have any, would have attended. Generations of proud, successful, Bermudians attended Berkeley (which is evident by the present government). Are we going to let the standards, which were held so high for so long, drop in an admittal of defeat? I am pleading with this present Government to remedy this gross mutation in our school of pride.

Let us return to the levels of achievement once sought by our students and even supercede them. Let us give our children the benefit of the excellent mentoring, self-assurance, and academic grooming that we once embraced - stimulating their intellects and preparing them for the harsh world of reality. I personally cherish my years spent at Berkeley and would do anything to bring back the school of yore, even if it required the school to become private. I would extend myself as far as I could to help in establishing a scholarship fund to attend such a fine institution. This school means a great deal to me and I hope that I am not the only one who feels this way. Let us remember the words we were once instructed to learn: "Berkeley, dear Berkeley, Children of thine are we, For thee we'll work and of thee be proud, what ever may come to thee Alma Mater, Berkeley Institute, the green and gold we'll ever uphold And ever to our school be true.'' A Heartbroken `Berkeleyite' KIMBERLEY MENSAH Pembroke East `Have we gone mad?' December 23, 1999 Dear Sir, It became increasingly apparent last tourism season that the number of buses from the terminal to Dockyard and back on either Middle Road or South Shore definitely needed to be increased. Now, with the announcement of further mega ships docking in Dockyard, buses will be `bursting at the seams'.

I hope the Minister has taken this into account and planned ahead for the saturation of our transport and ferry system, and everything else.

The mega ships are all very well when it comes to increasing numbers for the Tourism Department, but do they honestly think that it is going to result in the type of holiday experience we would want to give our visitors to Bermuda? And now we are apparently contemplating these mega ships docking on Front Street! Have we gone mad? The pint size ships we have now dwarf Front Street.

Offices and shops from Front Street back will be in the shadow of these monsters and what will this do for the famous pastel, tranquil Front Street scene that we try to emblazon on all our promotional material! Saturation of the destination does not leave a good impression in any tourist's mind. Have you ever been to St. Thomas? V. ROBERTS Southampton