As the International Year of the Older Person draws to an end, I would like to take this opportunity as a senior to express my gratitude to the great number of organizations that have been so generous in entertaining the growing number of seniors. We have been entertained, fed delicious meals and provided with afternoon teas, taken on interesting tours, given the opportunity to attend very interesting lecturers - all of which have been most greatly appreciated by so many of us.

My thanks go out to the organizers, volunteers and the great people that paid the bills - please accept our sincere gratitude. No doubt there were many "older persons'' who as they retire for the night would say "Thank you , I have had a lovely day today.'' On a more serious subject, I would like to ask families that have loved ones in nursing or retirement homes who only make a visit when it is convenient for them; if that is the case... why not at least pick up the phone and talk to your parents for five minutes each day. You should see their smiling faces when they say "I heard from my son or daughter today''. If you make the effort to do this, then I shall know that you have read this letter and for this I thank you.

A PEMBROKE SENIOR Our troops deserve more December 2, 1999 Dear Sir, May I, through your column, thank the good Major Lambe of Bermuda Regiment for his response to my letter calling for the abolition of conscription.

I am very much relieved to learn that soldiers appearing in Magistrates Court do not incur a criminal record but the soldiers that received suspended prison sentences will be even more relieved for your report in The Royal Gazette of Tuesday 9th November 1999 on page 5 started: "Suspended Prison sentences which amount to criminal convictions were handed out to four privates in the Bermuda Regiment'' and later in the same article duty counsel Mr. Kevin Bean said: "I say this not for sayings sake but because it truly troubles me in my soul that they will have criminal convictions''.

When I say that Bermudian men are being forced to do something that is detrimental to their well being I mean this in a financial way. The pay that the soldiers receive is certainly well below what one needs to earn to support oneself in Bermuda today. (It would be impossible for me to assess the possible emotional or mental damage that conscripts might carry with them after facing the anguish of being the last in the running or the worst at push-ups or any other event where the NCO's then verbally admonished the soldiers. When in fact they are performing to the best of their ability).

I am not saying abolish the Regiment, I am saying abolish conscription and give our young Bermudian men the free choice of joining the Regiment.

I have no idea what the present budget is for the Regiment or its total strength in numbers but if total strength is 600 and each soldier must do 2 weeks camp and 40 nights of 3 hours per year and if they were offered a respectable hourly wage of say $40 this would amount to an extra two million dollars per year (three million if we count a 16 hour day while at camp) A small amount in total government spending. People would know that they could volunteer and still make a satisfactory income.

This would go a long way towards ensuring that there would be a supply of volunteers to maintain present strength. (It may also be that present numbers could be reduced?) In any service there has to be the desire to want to be there for anybody to maximise their potential within that organisation. We've had conscription for far too long and still we have the present social problems in society today.

Conscription has not stopped the decline in social standards in the past and it will not prevent further decline in the future. It is time to give our men their freedom to choose where best they can maximise their potential.

PATRICK S. TROTT Paget Editor's Note: The 1999/2000 Budget Allocation for the Department of Defence was $4.6 million. This includes $218,000 for Defence Administration and $122,000 for the Bermuda Cadet Corps. The balance is spent directly on the Regiment.

Government must act November 29, 1999 Dear Sir, On Sunday I took a ride through Morgan's Point and I was disgusted to see the Land and lots of little cottages and buildings just deteriorating: Buildings that could be made into low cost rents or selling right now, Why is this allowed to happen? Daniel's Head is another place. The contentment of Bermuda-home-hungry people could be solved right there. Why are we taking our land and handing it over to foreign investment? Big buildings over there could be converted into single apartments for single people, cottages could be rented at affordable rents. Money is not every thing.

The trips taken alone could fix up a place PLP, you promised to help the people, through housing, that was one reason you succeeded to be voted in.

Here's your chance to fulfil your promise. Use it and do not blow it. This land belongs to the people of Bermuda. What a waste, it could have been used at the beginning and less money spent, don't wait til they fall apart like other places.

The Ferry could be handy there too for workers.

Do it now. Forget profits. Having a happier people and contented people is one up for you.

DEVONSHIRE Get the right date December 6, 1999 Dear Sir, There would appear to be a large amount of conflicting information floating about concerning the new millennial dawn. By far the greatest amount seems to be circulated by authorities who should know better, such as radio stations, newspapers, government agencies and other pillars of society.

Look at it this way: there never was a year `dot', so assuming that religious authorities are right, the year following Christ's birth was the year `1'.

Various authoritative agencies insist that he was born nearer 4BC and on that score we missed the new millennium about four years ago, but let's forget about that. After his first year of life, and now aged 1, the year was 2AD.

This is important -- at the END of year ONE Christ was now 2. So supposing he lived, when would Christ have been 2000? The answer to that is quite clearly `at the END of the year 2000'. So the next millennium will dawn at the END of the year 2000. Not the beginning, but the end.

1999 was not the last Cup Match or anything else annual in this millennium.

But then reason rarely prevails, so I suppose we will have to keep listening to the uninformed bleating away on subjects of which they know little or nought and since it would be commercially advantageous, the media will no doubt prevail upon us to celebrate the millennial dawn twice -- it's good for trade! ALAN BAINBRIDGE Pembroke One disatisfied customer December 9, 1999 Dear Editor, Please allow me a small space in your column for a letter to Wheels Ltd. Dear Wheels Ltd.

In June of 1998, I purchased a grey Peugueot SV100 from your company. I spent approximately $3,000 for the bike alone. To some people in this country $3,000 is considered to be a down payment for a car. In some countries $3,000 is considered a down payment for a house.

In May of this year I came in to pick up my bike which was in for repairs.

While waiting I asked a mechanic why the paint job on my $3,000 bike was bubbling and turning black. This mechanic informed me that the paint was faulty, and that it was a manufacturing defect. A manager told me that it would take a few weeks for the parts to arrive and to check back.

Well this is December, and my $3,000 bike still has not been fixed. I have called several times inquiring about the parts only to be told that there are no parts in.

What I do not understand is how can you know about this problem and do absolutely nothing to solve it? Your company hasn't even practised good customer service and informed your customers that their $3,000 bikes have a manufacturing problem. Why haven't you tried to contact bike owners about this problem? did you believe that the customers would think that the black bubbling and peeling paint are the result of Bermuda's salt air? I know I did, up until your mechanic and a few strangers informed me otherwise.

So, Wheels Ltd. what are you going to do about this problem? I believe that when people pay $3,000 for your product, they sort of expect to receive some type of service and loyalty in return.

OWNER OF A PEELING, BUBBLING, TURNING BLACK $3,000 LEMON Warwick