I would like to thank and commend the Electric Light Company and men who came out to restore power to so many so soon after Hurricane Gert.

They were out there every day with the problems that were made worse by landowners who have let their trees grow over the wires with no consideration for other people.

These people should pay someone to cut these tree branches away from the lines, NOT BELCO.

So why not make it mandatory for people to cut their branches back or BELCO do it and send them the bill. One big rubber tree at the corner of Belvedere Road and Middle Road has big branches all over the electric wires and in a big hurricane can put a lot of people out of power. It's a shame other people have to suffer for other people's thoughtlessness.

I only wish BTC could follow BELCO in their service to the public. Some hope! DEVONSHIRE Need seats for disabled September 23, 1999 The following was sent to Mr. Herman Basden, Director of Public Transportation and copied to The Royal Gazette .

Dear Mr. Basden, An incident on the bus had me quite upset, so I have decided to take pen in hand and address this concern to you. A physically challenged person boarded the No.11 bus at 4.50 p.m. to a standing room only situation. Not one school student vacated their seat; a woman passenger vacated her seat! My question sir -- why isn't a physically challenged seat designated on the buses? The seat could be the first seat on the bus and could be occupied by the public when a physically challenged person was not occupying that seat.

However, when a physically challenged person boards the bus, that seat must be vacated for the physically challenged person.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, sir.

ELLEN LITTLE St. David's Company should find apt. September 23, 1999 Dear Sir, I am in the real estate industry. This is a question for Immigration and employers.

Why is it that when a guest worker comes to this island, they are in direct competition with Bermudians requiring accommodation? I feel that if a guest worker lands on this Island to work they should have permanent residence already arranged by their employer (just like the security of their job(s), or they should not be allowed to come to the Island to work.

We have too many workers, no houses and definitely nothing in the price range that suits everyone.

The real estate industry has had to inform many a guest worker and Bermudian that there is no accommodation available for rent with the requirements of...1 bedroom from $700-$1000 or 2 bedroom from $1000-$1800. It just does not exist anymore and the people who are living in that price range will not be leaving their homes. I believe that Immigration and employers should work together and make some sort of arrangement, agreement or whatever they want to call it to ensure that the guest workers have permanent accommodation before arriving on the island, or deny their work permit (and I am not talking about a one month "put-up'' at a guest house). Job qualifications are great, but what good is it if you have no where to live? RAT Devonshire P.S. I don't have anything against guest workers, just frustrated with the housing situation.

About the `new Bermuda' September 24, 1999 Dear Sir, What a wonderful feeling to now become a part of the "New Bermuda''.

For over 15 years I have not been required to contribute to Government and have spent sleepless nights with a sense of guilt.

I can now rest in peace, for as little as it may be to some, I have paid my Land Tax.

OCTOGENARIAN City of Hamilton Give Lemay the scope September 28, 1999 Dear Sir, Motivated by the exemplary gesture of the Commissioner of Police, Jean-Jacques Lemay, during the week ending September 5, 1999, I too visited little Derik Dill in the Childrens' Ward at King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Despite the ensuing Monday 6th being a public holiday, I was allowed to visit this innocent little victim of a calamitous encounter with a taxi at the Shelly Bay Park Playground on Sunday August 22, 1999.

Although toy shops were closed on Sunday and Monday September 5 and 6, I fortunately had an accumulation of playthings for my granddaughter, among which I found several suitable for a three or four-year-old, thereby avoiding an empty-handed visit. At the hospital I met little Derik's mother, Ms Angela Dill, whom I would describe as an excellent parent. Indeed her very presence seemed to alleviate the excruciating discomfort of her daughter's serious injuries.

How this little moppet could greet me with a smile despite this anguish and her mother remain so sedate under such circumstances was completely beyond me.

Upon asking Ms Dill to get certain documents and bring them to the hospital for my perusal during my return visit on September 8. I left wishing that I lived in a neighbourhood where there were parents like Ms Angela Dill and children like her daughter Derik.

I returned to the children's ward on the aforementioned date where I found Ms Dill, obviously exhausted, asleep in a chair beside little Derik's bed. As a young mother of three -- one a six-month-old baby -- and working a split shift job, her fatigue was understandable. Her little daughter, showing consideration well beyond her years, was aware that "mummy was asleep because she is tired'' and that "Everyone should be quiet''. On awakening, Ms Dill showed me the documents mentioned in the proceeding paragraph. Parks Officer, Mr. Craig A. Burt's letter is well written, informative and, I am sure, consolatory to Ms. Dill. He even enclosed a copy of the 1986 Bermuda Parks Act including the 1988 Bermuda National Parks Regulations. A September 13 visit to his office convinced me that Mr. Craig Burt and his colleague Miss. Candy Lee Foggo are dedicated professionals in their vocation as Park Management Officials.

I found the Bermuda Police Accident Report, dated August 22 most puzzling. It clearly involved taxi T-1130, yet the driver's licence entitlement would indicate a mere 2 & 3 class rating, thereby indicative of an unlicensed driver. According to your September 2 front page publication, the investigating officer did not submit a full report on the grounds that Shelly Bay Park is not a public place or highway yet both are defined in section one of the 1926 Summary Offences Act and section one of the 1947 Road Traffic Act respectively.

The fact that the Constables' years of service far exceed the probationary period and he is unfamiliar with such basic definitions is somewhat paradoxical to say the least. As he has done so many times in the past, The Commissioner Mr. Lemay has given of his time and intervened in the interests of justice and the well-being of young Bermudians.

Your September 2 article indicates Ms Dill's gratitude for his hospital visit saying that she now feels better. It is a sad day for Bermuda, Mr. Editor, when it takes such an injurious tragedy as the August 22 occurrence at Shelly Bay Park to spell out to Bermudians that Mr. Lemay needs the `tools' to do the job. If this means an annexation in overseas recruitment as has been recommended by retired Police Commissioner, Mr. Lennett Edwards O.B.E. then so be it. But I would point out the necessity of allowing Mr. Lemay the scope to vet all applicants. I am referring to a recent article in the Gazette indicating the likelihood of a lawsuit by a prospective recruit who was turned down due to traffic offences on his record.

In short, Mr. Editor, much as an expert tradesman should have the privilege of honing his tools to a keen and sharp cutting edge, let us give the prerogative to Mr. Lemay of converting this dull penumbra of a force that he inherited from his predecessor, Mr. Coxall, into an efficient organ of Government comparable to his parent force the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. WILLIAM A.

WOODS Hamilton Parish