Dear Sir, I am writing in response to the letter last week concerning the issue of water courtesy. The charter boat Restless Native offers one of the most popular eco tours on the Island. Our success is due both to our safety record (the captain has a twenty year track record of safety) and to the fact that we strive to set the highest standards of service in the industry. We entertain some 5,000-6,000 guests every season and water safety is our top priority. In fact, water safety is precisely the reason we anchor the boat in shallow waters.

Many of our guests do not know how to swim, many are elderly, many are youngsters, some are disabled and just as many others have a deep-rooted fear of deep water. Our shallow water draft catamaran is the only sailing vessel in Bermuda that offers guests the opportunity of disembarking into water up to their knees. While it might be nicer for you to have us anchored off in deep water, it is not nearly as safe.

Unfortunately there are very few beaches on the North Shore of Bermuda or in Hamilton harbour for that matter, that combine the benefits of shallow water swimming with quality snorkelling. It is a challenge many of us in the boating community share. While I can appreciate that it must be distressing to see a boat load of tourists descend on what seems like your "private beach'', tourism is vital to the health of our local economy and all the beaches we frequent are public areas. It should also be remembered that while our arrival may cause some inconvenience, we are never there long: in one hour or so we will happily set off for another exciting sail.

We are committed to caring for Bermuda's fragile marine eco system in every way possible. Not only do we provide all our guests with a comprehensive talk on reef fish and corals, but we do marine clean ups daily and take responsibility for ensuring the health and vitality of the areas we frequent.

Marine clean up is not an annual event for us, it is a daily ritual.

I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite the writer of the letter to join us for one of our sailing adventures to see how we operate first hand. We are confident you will enjoy the experience and will better appreciate the personal care and effort we put into our work each day.

JOAN WARD Owner/Operator Rostless Native Robbed of their heroes October 11, 2000 Dear Sir, In the "Letters to the Editor'', October 4 edition of The Royal Gazette , Dr.

Eva Hodgson stated that "our limited progress in this area (the elimination of racism) is seen in the fact that not one high profile white person has ever been prepared to acknowledge the benefits which have accrued to the white community as a direct result of the economic exclusion and exploitation of the black Community through slavery and segregation.'' Was Dr. Hodgson being mischievous by denying any positive role played by white folks in the struggle for human rights? Given her knowledge of the Island's history, Dr. Hodgson's view seems not to be informed by naivete, but by a wilful disregard for the activities of those who might have been her allies.

This past April, The Bermuda Sun ran an interview with the newly appointed Director of Public Prosecutions, Khamisi Tokunbo. Interviewer Ayo Johnson asked Mr. Tokunbo which people had been most influential in his life, professionally and personally.

Incredibly, Mr. Tokunbo replied that "professionally, I can't really say that there has been.'' Does this suggest that Mr. Tokunbo has been unable to forge partnerships or engage in team building in his career, that he rose to his current position in a bubble? In response to influence by people personally -- one woman, his mother was mentioned -- along with eight men, all non-Bermudian, all black and all dead except for Mandela and Stokely Carmichael (now deceased.) Since the formation of "The New Bermuda'', members of the PLP cabinet have declared Americans immoral, Canadians unwelcoming to people of colour, and arrogance and racism a whites-only domain.

Why are some high profile black Bermudians unable to identify, or identify with, positive white role models in Bermuda and elsewhere? Why are Bermudians, black and white, being robbed of their heroes, both black and white? Perhaps this is an inevitable phase in Bermuda's development, another tragic consequence of man's inhumanity to man.

BONNIE CRITCHLEY Devonshire Flogging a dead horse October 6, 2000 Dear Sir, I have struggled to understand why the present govenment insists on trying to revitalise an industry that is in such rapid decline. Tourism is dying a natural death due primarily to the fact that we simply cannot give the same value for money as locations such as Florida, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands etc.

Why then did government introduce Hotel Concession legislation in order to "throw good money after bad?'' Then it dawned on me -- the BIU will lose a huge number of memberships if hotels continue to close! Why is government so concerned with this? Because it is virtually impossible to distinguish the union from the PLP government! They are essentially "one and the same''.

What is interesting, however, is why the government/union are pushing for an industry that blossomed during an era in which white dominance ensured that blacks held only blue-collar, labour intensive jobs? Why is the government attempting to wind the clock back to the 1950s, 60s and 70s when international business provides the Island with so much more for the people of this Island? Surely Bermudians would be better off by educating our children to become business professionals rather than offering them a job welcoming wealthy tourists, catering to these tourist's needs, and then cleaning up after them? We have a golden opportunity to benefit from the increase in international business on this island and the money being wasted on tourism could be far better spent on education and other serious domestic issues, such as low cost housing etc.

CHRISTOPHER C. MORRIS Warwick A lesson in frustration September 25, 2000 Dear Sir, I just can't believe it -- I have been watching the Olympics on Channel 7 all night and at 11 p.m. -- less than 5km from the finish of the women's cycling road race (being shown live) -- nearly three hours of racing, BAM! The station signal appears; local adverts come on; and we switch to the CMC coverage, which starts to show events from the previous day that have already been shown twice tonight! Watching the Olympics has been a lesson in frustration. I am happy to see Caribbean coverage, and loved the emphasis on a variety of countries efforts, but please show some common sense! Let us see the finish of one event before cutting us off! It happened at the end of the men's triathlon, and apart from the men's team gymnastics, gymnastic events were superseded by CMC coverage of "yesterday's'' events. Sunday night was a lesson in boredom -- daytime repeats, night time repeats, CMC repeats -- I should have been born a night owl with no day job to go to!! It seems that was the only way to see the events as they unfolded.

Give us a break sponsors -- sponsor something we want to see rather than cut it off! The CMC broadcast could easily be aired prior to CBC everyday and we'd all be happy -- instead we have a great example of misjudgment. You wouldn't dare to cut off the end of a football match would you? VIEWER Devonshire What is PLP democracy? October 8, 2000 Dear Sir, On August 18 this year, the Premier tabled a Paper entitled "Amendments to Bermuda's Constitution''. In her statement, the Premier expressed the hope and expectation that during the summer recess "lively discussion will take place throughout Bermuda and the views of as many Bermudians as possible will be communicated to us''.

The Premier's letter to Catherine Trerice is a sad commentary on the state of democracy in Bermuda. Now we know what happens if you dare criticise Government's methods for dealing with constitutional change: you will receive a personal censure from the Premier but still no better explanation of what is actually proposed.

If the Premier truly hoped that the proposed changes would provoke lively discussion in the media, she will have been disappointed. There has been loud opposition to Government's suggestion that a constitutional conference is not required, but hardly any "discussion'' of the merits of the proposed changes themselves. It is of course impossible to discuss something in an informed way if you have been given no adequate explanation of what is proposed or the reasons underlying the proposals. Democrats will have looked in vain for that explanation in the Premier's Paper and in the PLP's Election Platform 1998.

Democrats will have looked in vain for an explanation from Government in the newspapers.

The catchphrase "one man, one vote, one value'' is not a sufficient reason by itself to explain all of the proposed changes. The Premier's statement merely says "...we have consistently held to the view that the current system of electoral constituencies is undemocratic and unjust.'' With respect, that is no more than a long-held belief and not an argument. An argument would state why the Government's proposals are the best solution to the perceived problem of constituency boundaries.

The Premier's Paper essentially repeats the position taken by the PLP at the 1968 Constitutional Conference. As many older Bermudians will remember, the 1968 Constitutional Conference rejected the PLP's proposals for allotting House seats on the basis of population, and the BIU's suggestion of single seat constituencies. J. Randolph Williams records in his book "Peaceful Warrior'' (1988, p.177) that Sir Edward Richards in particular argued that single seat constituencies "would be so small as to create racial enclaves and help keep Bermudians divided''.

One of the many problems with Government's present approach is that it does not take into account that Bermudian society and its institutions have evolved since 1968. Bermudians may or may not believe that it is best for Bermuda's future that population density should be the only criterion for the determination of constituency boundaries. But we are not being asked. It is important to remember that "one man, one vote, one value'' is an old rallying cry from the days before universal suffrage, and not a full statement of all the principles involved in determining whether an electoral system is fair, just and democratic. Democracy is a more complicated concept. Even after the major UK electoral reforms of 1918-1955, no less an authority than Sir Ivor Jennings Q.C. (perhaps the greatest British constitutional lawyer of the twentieth century) stated that it is "far from true that one vote has one value''. That is because only two types of vote count: "winning votes'' and votes in marginal constituencies. A vote "against'' in a safe seat has no democratic value whatsoever. Jennings concluded that "a system of proportional representation on a national list would result in a number of members from each party being proportionate to the number of electors, and every vote would then have the same value''.

The PLP claimed that the New Bermuda will be "a model democracy''. But "democracy'' means different things to different people. Democracy is more than simple majority rule: it is about the values of liberty, equality and community. It is about moral membership of a community. It is about being allowed to participate in important decisions, on the basis of proper disclosure of information about Government's intentions. What does PLP democracy mean? The proposed changes to our Constitution are controversial. A government which is truly committed to resolving questions about the Constitution in a way that enhances democracy will argue its case publicly and demonstrate why its present proposals will improve the equal sharing of political power among all Bermudians.

A BERMUDIAN DEMOCRAT City of Hamilton End BTC complacency October 11, 2000 Dear Sir, Having moved to a new apartment on the 23rd September last, I was somewhat astonished when the BTC stated that they would not be able to provide me with a telephone service until 30th November. For BTC to say that it will take them over two months to simply transfer the telephone number from my old address to my new address is an absolute disgrace, and in no way can be considered as a satisfactory level of service in this day and age. Indeed, it makes a complete mockery of the statement emblazoned in BTC's telephone director "we are dedicated to providing you with reliable leading edge communications solutions.'' Perhaps they should qualify this with "when it suits us.'' May be the Ministry of Telecommunications should give BTC a good kick in the pants, and take a serious look at introducing some competition in the provision of local telephone services. Perhaps this would put an end to BTC's apparent complacency.

TONY TURNER Questions for the Govt.

October 7, 2000 Dear Sir, Would you please print these few questions for me? They are addressed to the present Government.

If all of the previous Government's policies were sooo wrong, what in particular is so correct about the way they conducted their war on drugs? I can only assume you are in agreement with them since you haven't changed them.

Are you willing to give us a break? At least talk to some Bermudians who go to work each day, love their families and live decent lives, yet can be labelled a criminal because of a couple of spliffs a week! I voted for some of you, I will vote again. Don't just trot out a couple of reformed drug addicts to prattle on about drug abuse. You wouldn't let one housesit for you so why are you taking their advice on my life? Give us a break, $125.00 a quarter ounce for mediocre weed, please! SPANISH POINT VOTER