Dear Sir, I recently returned from school to the Island. One evening while entering town via East Broadway, I was surprised to see a statue of Johnny Barnes. Not stopping to read the inscription I assumed that Mr. Barnes had passed and thought it might be a monument donated by family and friends.

Shortly after I saw that Johnny was alive and well. I was told that it was the idea of a person(s) who had raised money primarily through donations to honour him for his friendly welcomes, dedication and work as an ambassador for Bermuda. Few if any would deny any of the preceding accolades.

However, this statue has caused me to wonder where our priorities are as Bermudians. Johnny Barnes certainly did not ask for it, and I find it odd that there are now two statues in Bermuda...one, Sir George Somers (the coloniser of Bermuda), and two, Johnny Barnes. It's almost funny when I think about the numerous Bermudians heroes and heroines we have, both dead and living. I am not suggesting that we should erect statutes for them, I'm saying that we should give real Bermudian heroes and heroines their due... even if it means just going to the library to read about what they've done to better Bermuda.

People like: Sir Henry Tucker, Mr. Hugh Richardson, Dr. E.F. Gordon, Sir Edward Richards, Lois Brown Evans, John W. Swan, Alma (Champ) Hunt and others have all contributed in several ways to Bermuda. I feel that if we can use our energy and money in building a statue at the front of the city for someone who's already there every morning, we can definitely do a better job of learning about and showing appreciation for our national heroes and heroines.

JERMAINE JEFFERS City of Hamilton Don't lower standards June 3, 1999 Dear Sir, I am writing this letter to express my utter frustration and disbelief at the current active Bermudianisation of the Police Service.

When is the Government, as well as the recruitment team of the Police Service going to realise that it is going to take years to attract decent, well-educated Bermudians who can pass the rigorous entrance tests and who are willing to earn less money that the private sector. The Police Service needs experienced, well trained, mature officers now. Not in one to two years, or even three years, which it is going to take through Bermudianisation/discriminatory policies. When a member of the public calls 911 they do not care what nationality the Police officer is that answers that call. All they want is a quick efficient response to their call. I challenge the Government to do a poll on this point to prove this. It is beyond belief that the efficiency of any Police Force (the number one emergency service) of any country is less important than the nationality of it.

Expatriate officers who have come over to this country have given up everything in their home country to come and serve the community of Bermuda. I am sure that there are not many Bermudian officers who would be able to just leave their family and go and work in a job in a foreign country where they take verbal abuse from the community and experience tremendous job stress incomparable to many other jobs. There are many good, well-trained mature Police officers who would give their right arm to come and work in Bermuda on a three year non-renewable contract. Obviously, we could recruit from Canada or the Caribbean to keep the racial mix equal, as the Government desires. Are you more concerned about the efficiency of your Police Service, or the colour and nationality of it? I know what I want.

We must not lower the standards of entry for the sake of Bermudianisation, which appears to be happening. As soon as the standards are lowered the respect from the public will become lower than it already is.

I challenge the Government to treat its Police Service with the respect it deserves. I am proud of our Police Service but it has been neglected time and time again. It is time that the community and Government stood together with the Police against drugs and crime. Premier Smith, the Country is waiting! Bring manpower levels up and pay the officers the money they are owed.

FRUSTRATED POLICE OFFICER Devonshire P.s. Perhaps Ms Cox would be able to find some free time to come on patrol with Police officers and provide backup where necessary, as this is totally lacking due to manpower shortages.

Disappointed with Govt. June 3, 1999 Dear Sir, With this Government acting like squabbling children in a school-yard, their national song should be: "I don't want to play in your yard, I don't like you any more...

You'll be sorry when you see me Sliding down our cellar door.

You can't holler down our rain barrel, You can't climb our apple tree...'' etc. etc.

(A "negative'' song popular in grand-mother's childhood).

Their incredibly negative actions are not only totally inadequate for the international level that Bermuda had become accustomed to under the UBP but, were it not so very serious, their unbelievable stupidity on international levels could rank as the biggest "laugh'' of this century -- as it comes to an end! Telling the likes of the owner of a four-star hotel who he can and cannot have for manager. And now telling an entire Country, of the importance of Canada, who they can and cannot have as Counsul requires a huge deficit of common sense and brains.

Their inefficiency has catapulted us down into the Third World level in seven short months.

And their overwhelming need for continual, glittering extravagance (in "living it up'') clearly denotes paucity in the requirements needed for running an Island of such international importance.

It may help to dull the senses for a short while, but the day-of-reckoning has already arrived, and they are the only ones who don't know it! AMAZED Pembroke Put Bermudians first June 3, 1999 Dear Sir, Please permit me space to respond to the remarks made by Mrs. Riquette Bonne-Smith in today's paper with respect to Dr. Donald Peter's proposed contract renewal at the Bermuda College.

Mrs. Bonne-Smith, as a foreign-born spouse of a Bermudian lawyer, should understand the laws regarding Bermudianisation. Furthermore, it is offensive for her to automatically assume or imply that a suitably qualified Bermudian applicant for the position that Dr. Peters currently holds, might lack the skills to work with College students or to implement College programmes.

Everyone at some point has to leave an organisation with work unfinished. If the plans and programmes that Mrs. Bonne-Smith claims that Dr. Peters has started are sound, surely the Bermuda College can continue to sustain them under the management of a suitably qualified Bermudian.

Finally, Mrs. Bonne-Smith is confusing issues of race and gender with nationalism. One of the problems that our young Bermudians have is a lack of national pride. This occurs in part because we continually send them the message that "foreign experts'' are better than Bermudians. While it is important for young black males to have black male role models, it is more important for all young Bermudians to believe that Bermudians can determine and lead their own destiny. I trust that the PLP government under the leadership of Premier Smith is still committed to sending this message to Bermudians, young and old, black and white, male and female alike.

BERMUDIANISATION: NOT AN ISSUE OF RACE AND GENDER Somerset No need for bodyguard June 2, 1999 Dear Sir, Shopping expeditions in stretch limousines. Free golf for Members of Parliament. House of Assembly meets for 30 minutes. Not longer. The reason being the papers to be discussed were not prepared in time.

The Premier going to Geneva for a labour organisation meeting, taking with her, Colonel Burch. Whatever for? No Premier has ever gone to that meeting in Geneva. That was always the job of the Minister concerned and the President of the BIU.

I think these things that are going on, do not bode well for Bermuda and its future. The PLP came in with a bang and everything was going to be just wonderful.

So far we have not seen anything that has been achieved. Stop going on these trips and get down to work.

They have their work cut out for them to keep up the standard set by the UBP.

Without that our standard of living, our way of life will be in jeopardy.

LL Pembroke