After recently clarifying a certain issue on Southside Road, St. Davids, I find myself writing again to educate/warn the motoring public on another significant problem that needs to be rectified immediately.

Mr. Editor, it has become prevalent that there is contemptuous behaviour for the `Stop Signs' posted on Pepper Hall Road at the junction with Tommy Fox Road and Orange Hole Road, Southside, St. David's.

At that junction, there is a family with numerous children that ride their bicycles east and west along Tommy Fox and Orange Hole Roads, which has `right of way'. Motorist are impeding and endangering their lives by driving south/north through that junction along Pepper Hall Road having a total disregard for the `stop signs' governing that junction.

We all as drivers have the responsibility to drive safely and adhere to all traffic signs which are erected for our protection.

I now have to relate a true story that occurred to me resulting in this letter.

At 8.05 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2000, I was driving south along Pepper Hall Road, from St. David's Road, there were two cars following me. As I approached and came to a stop at the junction of Tommy Fox Road, the two following cars suddenly picked up speed, overtook me and shot through the junction leaving me in their wake. That maneouver was a blatant and horrendous infringement contrary to several sections of the Road Traffic Act, 1947.

The Eastern Patrols and the Eastern Traffic Enforcement Units are aware of the problem and will lambaste offenders to the full extend of the law....

"Will your name be on one of those tickets?'' FRANKIE FOGGO St. David's Saving the way July 27, 2000 Dear Sir, I'm currently eyeballing a course in masonry offered by the Bermuda College this fall. As a younger man I was knee deep in mobylettes and have always had an inclination to work my mind through my hands. I am also a first time homeowner of a fixer upper cottage and feel that I can enhance my savings through some of my own employment in the process of investment.

In this letter I want to address the economic concept that savings equals investment.

We all know that savings usually mean putting money in the bank to earn interest without the danger of losing your original investment. These savings accounts mean that the saver can withdraw the funds on short notice, unless the saver says that he will only withdraw after certain periods of time so that the Bank will offer him a higher interest rate. So the Bank pays interest on the money that the saver has deposited. It makes economic sense to understand that the Bank needs to make money on these same funds to be able to pay the saver his interest income. The Banks' employees then make a profit on top of that to pay its' shareholders who have invested in the Banks shares.

Banks find investors like myself who are buying a home and need to borrow money via a twenty year mortgage. The Banks have a mismatch in that they are borrowing on a short term rollover basis from the saver and are lending on a long term basis to an investor like myself.

This mismatch of borrowing short term and lending long term plus the chance that I might default on my loan are the risks that the Bank is assuming. What happens if all the savers decide to withdraw their savings on the same day? Since the Bank has already lent that money out for 20 years, then it will have to borrow money from another bank at a higher rate for 20 years until the long term investor like myself has paid the Bank back. On the other hand if I, the long term borrower, goes bankrupt and defaults on my loan then the Bank has the risk that it will not be able to sell my house for the total amount of the loan.

These risks are compensated by the Bank making loans to long term investors like myself at a higher rate than those paid to short term savers.

For the past few years I have been re-investing in my fixer upper cottage in order to raise my quality of life and increase my savings. How does investing in my house increase my savings? I have been hiring, on a when able basis, electricians, masons and plumbers. This has created savings or money to invest for these tradesmen. Whether these guys are putting money in the Bank, putting new windows in, or investing in their children's education, this velocity of money creates opportunities for those who choose to save or invest over consumption. So how does that add up to savings when I reinvest in my cottage? Well these tradesmen who have saved or invested the money that I paid them will be able to afford my improvements put on houses in their income bracket.

Therefore, when I sell my house I should be able to get my original money plus the investment/savings that I put into it.

Economic forces are not always in balance as we have seen in the supply and demand of housing. I think supply of housing is coming on line and we will at some time in the future have the opposite situation. We need to keep investing in our future in order to increase our savings. Downsize consumption, drive the old car for a few more years and sign up for a course at the Bermuda College. Money in the hands of those who save and invest at the margin is the best for everybody.

BRIAN WAY Paget Let's move forward July 27, 2000 Dear Sir, To the "Black African Bermudian'' writing on `A question of Skin Colour' in your newspaper on Thursday, July 27, 2000 - Hallelujah and well written! Thank goodness there are people out there, who are willing to speak out on the absurdity of this whole race thing. Black, red, beige, pink, we are all related and the sooner we accept that, the sooner we can all work together to bury the past and get on with the future! Why do we insist on wasting time fighting old battles over and over again. Let's take our heads out of the sand and get on with making this Island a more harmonious place in which to live and work and an example to the rest of the world. No, `Rome was not built in a day' and things are not perfect but dividing people is going backwards and not the way to get things done. Haven't we learnt anything from the past? I have always taught my children to feel sorry for people with prejudice - because of their ignorance, they are fearful and should be pitied.

VANESSA ROBERTS Southampton A solution to vandalism July 28, 2000 Dear Sir, On Thursday, July 27, 2000 on page 8, in the story about the graffiti problems on forts in St. George's, there were a few comments which were made that I feel should not be viewed or confused in such a negative way. I am only speaking for what I believe and feel is right.

For Richard Warner, I, as a black Bermudian, am proud of our golden "Historical Monuments''. I can feel the fury of your concern which also concerns many others.

I raise my hat to Mr. Lance Furbert, for I can see, through his comments of cultivating a relationship within the young community, an excellent approach.

For all those people from extra-clean neighbourhoods, vandalism is not a new problem. Personally I feel that it is inherited from generation to generation.

In every city of this world, from grandparents, until today, there has always been youth vandalism as an on going and continuous problem. An idea towards a solution is to show some historical history on our forts.

Not only on television and radio, but onsite. Also hold functions involving the community. Many will feel a sense of pride for what Bermudians own.

SERETSE SMITH St. George's We all need a social life July 24, 2000 Dear Sir, The majority of people go to night clubs to dance and have fun (try it, it might lighten you up) not to go to with the intention of fighting, using profanity and generally causing mayhem.

Would you also like to close restaurants, bars, and workmans clubs? They also have drinking, smoking and dancing. Maybe you could inform the public what they could do for a social life.

NORMA POOLEY Pembroke A taxing question July 26, 2000 Dear Sir, I wish to thank you for the support given when I recently protested, the imposition of taxes on Educational Materials.

I have received many comments from the General public, most to do with the bewilderment, at the actions of the Government.

As one would expect in dealing, with entrenched bureaucrats, little gets done.

I have had to cancel my most valuable means of keeping current.

It is hard to express how hard and difficult this was, however the absurdity of taxing tapes as opposed to journals, all with the same premise escapes me.

My further actions will be via the ballot box.

BERESFORD M. SWAN M.D.

City of Hamilton A word on haplology July 27, 2000 Dear Sir, The misspelling of the word governor inspired Brian Callaghan to offer an erudite lesson on haplology. Fair enough, but he does not address the issue at hand, and that is, whether "govenor'' was a mistake or perhaps that was the way the word was spelled in the mid 1800s.

I can now disclose that one reason for writing the letter in the first place to see if I got any feedback from local historians. Anyway, thanks to Mr.

Callaghan (who for all I know may well be one of that class) for introducing me, and I am sure many others, to the wonderful world of haplology. That word is much more difficult to spell than governor.

PETER J. WILLCOCKS Smith's Parish