Last Monday I was mugged, my handbag snatched, thrown to the ground and extensively bruised; besides the inconvenience of losing the irreplaceable contents of my handbag.

However this letter is to thank all those who phoned me with condolences, sent me beautiful flowers and even offered me alternative accommodations if I was afraid to stay where I am at the moment. It is wonderful to know that, in time of trouble, one has friends.

I am hoping that the perpetrator will be apprehended so that he will be able to enter a drug programme to change his life style.

May God bless all my supporters.

A SURVIVOR City of Hamilton Let's be more polite March 7, 2001 Dear Sir, In response to S. Richardson's letter of March 7, I too would like to express concern over the public transportation system. I am a regular user of buses and ferries and after numerous similar occasions of having to stand whilst holding both bags and a toddler I wrote a letter last year to one of the heads of Transport with my recommendations. I cannot recall to whom I addressed the letter and have been unable to follow through because I never received the courtesy of a reply by phone or by post.

It is extremely dangerous to try to maintain a hold in a moving vehicle while holding a child. In private vehicles in most countries children are required to stay in the rear seating with seat belts. In some European countries it is an offence not to offer your seat on a public bus to any elderly passengers.

I too have lived my whole life in Bermuda travelling the public system. Bus drivers used to help mothers lift their pushchairs onto the bus or help the elderly get their bags aboard -- some still do -- thank you Mr. Shaun Bean.

Bus drivers used to request passengers offer their seats to those in need -- some still do -- thank you, Mr. Ramotar. I have found many of the bus drivers to be helpful and courteous but unfortunately, it is the passengers who have changed. No longer is good morning or thank you heard from most passengers as they embark or disembark -- but there are those traditionalists who still address the whole bus with a cheerful "Good morning All!''. And in the summer season our buses are packed with visitors whose social norms are different from ours but that doesn't mean we have to follow suit. "Good manners'' are taught at home. My son, who is now four, already knows to say "good morning'' and "thank you'' and to share our seat if needs be. "Good Manners'' can be just as contagious as negative behaviour. It always amazes me how quickly others are to start offering their seats when they see me offer to stand for someone older than myself -- in spite of gender or age. I once reached a point of such frustration when I was on a bus taking my son to preschool that I lectured the entire bus as I disembarked. The first six rows were full of fit men -- local and visitors -- but it finally was a mother at the back of the bus who made her child give up a seat for me...and the next passenger onboard was an elderly woman...she too stood for a while when another young child (too old to sit on a lap but still too young to be standing)...was prompted to squeeze over on to the lap of her adjacent adult to offer the lady a seat. Young children should not be standing. Elderly and disabled should not be standing. Parents (male or female) with infants and young children and pregnant women should not be standing.

My recommendation to the Public Transportation Board was to post stickers on the windows of the first rows (as seen on many overseas buses, subways and trains) that designates the front rows as priority seating for the above categories listed. It is rather sad that we have reached a point where we have to dictate "good manners'' to the public instead of it being instinctive. I even offered to assist in research of cost involved of label printing or to do a public awareness campaign. I am still willing to assist if the Department of Transport will advise as to whom these suggestions should be forwarded yet again.

While suggestions are being put forth is there any way of reinforcing the PTB information provided to the cruise ship passengers out of Dockyard? We need to advise them that there are numerous extra buses provided for them on a needs basis going to the beaches and Hamilton and that they all don't have to spend half of their holiday queuing for the same bus -- only to find I cannot get on my regular bus to pick up my son from school and now have to leave work earlier on Tuesdays (the day one of our ships arrive) if I am to arrive on time. In the summer most of us "regulars'' are left standing at the bus stops while over-packed buses of tourists make their way out of Dockyard.

Fortunately drivers like Mr. George Bremar will put in a word for the locals with the dispatcher present and try to limit the number of beach passengers boarding. Thank you to all of our patient and helpful bus drivers.

MRS. SUNDEE FAULKNER Dockyard Terrace, Dockyard Stop the violence March 5, 2001 Dear Sir, I have a simple question in light of the rape incidents plaguing our small community -- as a husband, brother-in-law, son-in-law, friend: Shouldn't the Government spend the $500,000 allotted in the recent Budget for the Premier's personal protection on improving the protection for all women of this island? While there is emphasis by the Government for developing and protecting the human resources and social institutions of our community -- and rightly so -- the female members of our community appear to be at increasing risk of attack.

Out walking during the day, pulled off their bikes, even molested in our own homes while asleep in bed - 12 attacks between August and mid-November of last year alone according to The Royal Gazette , up a horrifying 900 percent.

Firstly, Government lawmakers -- You have a responsibility to your community to change the law to allow DNA sampling when warranted to aid conviction and prosecution to the full extent of the law. Secondly, Police -- you have a moral obligation to change the intimidating, face-to-face process to allow victims to identify their attacker. Thirdly, Government you have a social responsibility to ensure you allocate the taxpayers' funds responsibly and with selflessness.

Finally, we all have a responsibility and obligation to voice our outrage at the breakdown of law, moral order and simple lack of fundamental respect of each other these attacks represent and to not tolerate it.

JOHN FLANNERY Smith's Parish TV weather does not help March 7, 2001 Dear Sir, I was quite surprised when I attempted to read and understand the weather on cable channel 11 recently. It seems to have been dramatically altered -- to its detriment! I watch this forecast often as my business revolves around the aspect of fine weather. I operate a large water sports and diving operation and the viewing of the weather forecast plays a huge part in my daily regimen.

This new format on the television is difficult to read and while you are attempting to interpret it, the page shifts to the next! One needs at least a 27-inch screen to decipher it in all its complexity.

It does not seem to favour marine forecasts at all, and perhaps should come with a manual to interpret all the symbols.

Apart from that, it was nice to listen to the enthralling music of MIX 106 and be able to listen to the news in the morning whilst watching the weather forecast. The music of choice now makes it even more difficult to read this new arrangement as its bland character bores you, making your desire to change channels even more pronounced.

Is there any possibility of reverting to the original format (even though its text style was archaic, it was functional) or perhaps something more enlightening? MICHAEL BURKE Blue Water Divers & Watersports Somerset Bridge More grease on the slope March 7, 2001 Dear Sir, Our worthy Minister of Immigration (who, by the way, happens to be a foreign-born Canadian citizen) probably doesn't understand the irony of selecting April Fool's Day to implement the new six-year Immigration policy.

How appropriate! Or maybe she does, since she was part of the group in Le Figaro whose presence allegedly caused the movement of some UBP members (who were also dining there) to another room.

My guess is that the stipulation "good corporate citizens'' will be open to interpretation. Lots of individuals and businesses have been strong armed into supporting Government projects. At present there are another bunch of Government lackeys trying to raise $2.5 million for the Smithsonian Ego Trip and presumably those who donate to that will be considered good corporate citizens. We all remember the mansion on Pitts Bay Road.

This Island is on a slippery slope headed for disaster and this latest Immigration edict is just more grease on the slope.

A tourism industry which scarcely exists -- and now the rest of the business community under fire -- is a recipe for disaster. It won't be long before work permits are not required...because there won't be any jobs for anyone.

DISGUSTED Paget Is there no limit? March 6, 2001 Dear Sir, Several weeks ago, Mr. Sherratt of the Corporation of Hamilton said that in the light of the recent spate of handbag snatching, although the city limits stopped at Bermudiana road, the Corporation would assist Works and Engineering in the installation of lights along Pitts Bay Road.

If the city limits end at Bermudiana Road why do the traffic wardens give out tickets from Barr's Park to Smatt's Cycle Livery? Also who gave the residents of Lane Hill and Pitts Bay road (between Smatt's and Fordham Hall) special residents parking permits? LWL Paget