Presentation at City Hall in Hamilton.

The Hotel Merit Award is given to properties which surpass the minimum hotel licensing requirements and meet the highest standards for the Ministry of Health, the Bermuda Fire Service and the Department of Tourism.

The Cedar Tree Merit Award for the best guest houses was awarded to Oxford House, which has won this award for the last five years.

The Hibiscus Merit Award for the best housekeeping cottages and apartments went to a second five-time winner, Angel's Grotto, Barnsdale Guest House and Dawkins Manor.

The Longtail Merit Award for the best small hotels was awarded to Royal Palms Hotel, the Mid Ocean Club, Cambridge Beaches, Fourways Inn and Willowbank.

And the Angel Fish Merit Award for the best large resort hotels went to the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Southampton Princess Hotels.

Other awards presented on Thursday included the Department of Tourism Buttery Awards which were presented to Edgehill Manor, Rosemont, Coral Beach Club and Elbow Beach.

PARENT SUES SCHOOL ED Parent sues school A Southampton woman has joined a list of parents who have taken legal action against the Christian Academy on Clarendon Road in Flatts.

Alison Mackrill has filed a writ on behalf of her two girls this week and is claiming for damages for personal injuries received last year.

Mackrill's lawyer Kelvin Hasting-Smith confirmed he was handling the case but would not reveal any details.

"I've already spoken to her about this and, because of the young age of the children, she's not willing to make this public.'' DRUNK DRIVER FINED CTS Drunk drivers fined Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner gave two drunk drivers $1,000 fines and took them off the road for a year each last week.

Pembroke resident Christopher Kempe and Devonshire resident Stanley Vincent Durham both admitted unrelated charges of impaired driving.

Kempe, 28, of Doubloon Lane, was stopped by Police on June 10 after he was observed swerving directly into the path of oncoming traffic on Harbour Road in Warwick.

Durham, 54, of Sousa Estate, was found by Police on June 29 after he got into a single-vehicle accident on North Shore Road, Pembroke.

PET BAN STILL IN PLACE ALS Pet ban still in place The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries moved yesterday to clarify that the UK quarantine for Bermuda pets remained in effect.

Travellers should not expect to take their pets into Britain without a quarantine period as Government has not received official notification that the Pet Travel Scheme (non-quarantine entry) has been extended to Bermuda.

Government anticipates having Bermuda included in the scheme and when notification is received, the process of implementation will begin. This is expected by April, 2001.

MAN STOLE FROM BROTHER CTS Man stole from brother A repeat drug offender was sent to jail last week for robbing his brother's house to pay for his drug habit after attending a $10,000 rehabilitation programme abroad.

Michael Anthony Smith, 41, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Archie Warner for stealing $1,300 worth of jewellery on June 18.

Smith pleaded guilty to breaking and entering his brother McClarren's home on Old Military Road in St. George's and stealing the items, which included a $900 gold ring that was never recovered.

Smith was sentenced to 24 months in jail for drug charges by Chief Justice Austin Ward and was allowed to attend an overseas rehabilitation programme, which his family paid for.