With regard to those politicians and members of the public who have been knocking Minister Allen for the loss of US Airways flights to Bermuda and in particular how it is related to a new cruise ship schedule; perhaps instead of relying on The Royal Gazette for their "feets'', they should read some foreign newspapers.

Quoting from USA. Today, Tuesday, December 7, 1999 Six major airlines have cancelled a higher percentage of flights in the first nine months then in the same period of year go. Cancellation rates more than doubled at American Airlines and US Airways through the first nine months of this year, the latest period for which figures could be provided''. The article further stated that "all is not well within the industry: US Airways had scheduling problems months ago.

The operative phrase concerns the first nine months of 1999, did David Allen bring in a new schedule during this period? Is he responsible for the cancellations at other airports? David Dodwell and his ilk should not be so petty and naive.

E. RATTERAY Warwick Unhappy with service The following was sent to Roger Sherratt, Secretary of the Corporation of Hamilton and copied to the Royal Gazette. December 4, 1999 Dear Sir, My daughter and I were in charge of the provision of a bar at City Hall for the BMDS Pantomime this year. On the first occasion when we tried to set up the articles necessary to this endeavour, we arrived at the City Hall kitchen to discover that whoever was providing `nibbles' for the function at the National Gallery had stolen our tables (provided by Gosling's) for their own use without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone. They relinquished them soon enough when challenged and thereafter events transpired more or less as they should. Regrettably, last night December 3, we arrived to find that all three of Gosling's tables had apparently been removed from the building without any interception or note by your custodian (or whatever you call him).

After wasting valuable time discovering the facts and searching, we gave up and asked a couple of members of the Society to bring a table up from the Daylesford headquarters. This was done and the function of the bar was established with very little time to spare. Needless to say, we do not appreciate surprises of this kind.

Surely, whilst one cannot expect your employees to function as security staff, they should at least have a written or mental log of equipment being removed from the building. Or is theirs merely a watching brief? Is it even that! Furthermore, are the sound equipment and other expensive items safe within the confines of the auditorium? The worst aspect from the point of view of BMDS is that it is at present extremely difficult to persuade members to take on the management of functions like the bar. With the kind of inefficiency and confusion described above it presumably will not be absolutely out of the question to get bar managers. And it would appear that we have the Corporation's lack of services to thank for that.

ALAN BAINBRIDGE Pembroke Misleading the public November 25, 1999 Dear Sir, What a tremendous surprise it was to read this morning's large front page headline in The Royal Gazette , "Parking machines could be scrapped -Sherratt''.

It was a particular surprise to me because I was the person who was interviewed by your young reporter who did an excellent job in writing an otherwise balanced and accurate article.

Unfortunately, the headline took a quantum leap in summarising the article, and so did the first sentence of the article which reads, "The Corporation is considering eliminating parking machines in the city next year.'' That could not be further from the truth and I am confident that your reporter will fully confirm I did not say anything to indicate that the Corporation is planning to eliminate parking machines. Anyone reading the rest of the article would see that I was quoted as saying the Corporation is purchasing a new set of very modern pay and display machines which allow the customer to have the option of buying his or her voucher with a credit card.

Yes, the Corporation is looking at other methods of allowing motorists to pay in advance for parking (by issuing parking permits paid for in advance, or by using what your reporter correctly described as a "revolutionary'' computerized device), but contrary to the opening paragraph in the article, the Corporation is not considering eliminating parking machines next year. Far from it, we are purchasing better machines so that the public always has the option of paying to park on a daily basis.

May I take this opportunity to once again apologise to the public for the problems we sometimes have with our present pay and display machines, and to give a reassurance that we are doing everything possible to reduce or eliminate these problems.

ROGER J. SHERRATT Secretary Corporation of Hamilton An early warning December 1, 1999 Dear Sir, Hunting and poaching are causing the extinction of some of the world's largest and smallest animals. In Africa, people are killing elephants for their valuable tusks and that's why elephants are becoming endangered. The rhino is an endangered animal too, because people are taking its valuable horn. The bodies of both the elephant and rhino are left behind after and scavengers attack their remains.

In Bermuda, the skink is a threatened animal. When people drop their soda cans on the ground this is dangerous for the skink: the skinks climb in and cannot escape because their feet get stuck on the can. People need to put their trash in a trash can, instead.

The last thing I want to tell you about is the fish. The last government woman said no fish pots could go in the water for a few years. Now a new government man is a fisherman and he is in charge of the sea. He may want to put fish pots back in the water so that fisherman can make more money. We need to protect the fish in our ocean and our reefs. We also need to protect the skink, the elephant and the rhino.

Please sir, spread this message all over Bermuda and the world to remind people to take care of animals.

EVERSLEY KELLAN GOVIA Age 9 Heron Bay School Time to wake up Dear Sir, Alistair Cook, that venerable gentleman who attempts to explain the American psyche to the British, would be at a loss to understand Bermudians.

Do you really want tourists? Or is it that you only want tourists of a certain type? I must admit that after being trapped here for three weeks by weather, I am inclined to think the latter is most likely. No wonder your tourist numbers are going through the basement.

I have in front of me your paper of November 24, in which a smiling Mr.

Charles Vaughan-Johnson of the Bermuda Society claims that the aims of the organisation is "fostering close friendship, contacts and business between the people of Bermuda and Britain.

Lovely sentiment, Sir, but how do you propose to do that with UK phone calls at a $1.00 a minute? or is that only for the disadvantaged tourist? The article below that is a real eye opener. Your tourist Minister (who I understand is already way over budget) thinks he can up the number of boats for the tall ships visit by going with a bunch of his cronies to a trade show--? Wake up Bermudians, unless you improve international communications, provide 48hr ships' stores in transit facilities for visiting yachts and put the "Royal'' back into your mail system, your tourist trade is going nowhere.

ANOTHER PASSING YACHTIN 2001 A lesson to be learned December 9, 1999 Dear Sir, My son is six years old, a most recent fan of the "POKEMON'' craze that has now swept the Island and the United States.

My letter is a result of my taking my son to attend the Pokemon Movie being shown at the Little Theatre. I have seen letters, people's reactions, interviews on TV from American News local religious opinions in the local paper and also have heard how schools are reacting to this causing other schools to follow suit. We as parents need to attend this movie with our children. It pointed out in this movie the differences about Pokemon and Humans, one Pokemon believing himself better than humans because he had more power and strength, wanting to destroy all Pokemon and Humans who were weaker.

The movie as I saw it formed the great impression to me: There are differences in humans and Pokemon, do not base our feelings on differences but similarities, the power and strength doesn't matter but what's in our hearts.

I say once again to parents and teachers, please view this movie. Another point made in this movie: we all may fuss and fight, but nothing is supposed to result in the death of another.

KAHUMMAD Sandys Parish