As President of Meet-A-Mum Association (Mama) I would like to extend my personal thanks and that of all Mama's 400 or so members to companies that have kindly donated their support and help in aid of Mama's charitable aims.

In particular a special thanks is due to International Bonded Couriers (IBC) and Sedgwick's.

Mama is now engaged in decorating the Emergency Paediatric Room at the King Edward Hospital, with Tara Jackson in the Emergency department spear-heading the idea, along with some artistic Mums: Charlotte Codling, Debbie Larcher and Samantha Stevens.

Mama has already had pledges for corporate support for this venture - watch this space for more thank you's! Many hands make light work - if you would like to volunteer please contact me on 291-3799.

Thank you again to IBC and Sedgwicks.

SARA LORIMER-TURNER President Meet-A-Mum Association A case of give, not take October 25, 1999 Dear Sir, Recently I was asked by VSB News to comment on the question of Parliamentarians and Ministers being elected to the board of companies in Bermuda. I believe there was a report that PLP Parliamentarians were unhappy at their being excluded from such boards whilst most of their UBP counterparts had, when in power, been elected as board members and, in many instances, remain in place.

Due to editorial time constraints, most of my responses were not included in this news report and I would like to provide the full import of my remarks through the media of The Royal Gazette . My statement is non-partisan and is based on a strong conviction that `corporate governance' in Bermuda is given less attention than in most other jurisdictions -- to the detriment of Bermuda's business reputation and corporate efficiency.

It is apparent that non-executive appointments to company boards are too often made without regard to the training to ensure they add value to the company.

Good corporate governance is the very foundation of a well-run company. If corporate governance is poor, than senior and junior management will perform badly -- and who can blame them. They take their example from those at board level and if discipline, direction and communication is not of a high standard, then there will be a loss of direction and communication at all levels.

It it necessary, particularly for non-executive directors, to understand their responsibilities, duties and also their liabilities as board appointees. You have only to read the newspapers to realise how vulnerable a director is if he or she is not well versed in his role. I was asked in the interview what a Parliamentarian could `get out' of being elected to a corporate Board. It is surely what one can add to such a position, not what can one take away; regrettably this is not a prevalent view.

A newly elected board appointee should undergo a limited period of training, either in-house or externally. The Bermuda Branch of the Institute of Directors can provide these and other associated courses relating to corporate governance. For instance the Institute can provide one day (or longer) seminars on these subjects and can also provide more extensive seminars to Diploma level, if required. Attendance will be time well spent. Finally two comments: In many other countries, Parliamentarians are, on being elected to the government, required to relinquish their Directorships and also place any shareholdings in Trust. In Bermuda the opposite seems to be the view, despite the obvious conflict of interest.

Perhaps the regulatory authorities in Bermuda should require directors appointed to the board of the larger local companies (whether international or domestic) to attend a corporate governance seminar prior to their appointment.

Such a step would greatly enhance Bermuda's reputation as a seat of sound business practice - everyone would gain.

GEOFFREY W. MOORE Past Chairman Institute of Directors (Bermuda Branch) The other side of the coin October 28, 1999 Dear Sir, Please afford me space in your column for publication of the following article: "There Has To Be Some Good In Jamaica.'' In an attempt to add some balance, and with apologies to my extended Caribbean family, I must be allowed to single out Jamaica as this article's point of reference, as it is the consistent singular negative reference to the `land of my birth' that has prompted this response. (I am sure that my numerous and dear Bermudian friends, our friendship forged during those student years of the 1960's, in that great leveller to all external -- London -- will understand. They will understand the concern of their "Jambudian'' brother!) For Bermudians (or any non-Jamaican) to fully understand the complexity of Jamaican society, an attempt must be made to look beyond the superficial and probe deeper into Jamaica's history. The evolution of Jamaica and Jamaicans was out of a plantation society, probably the most severe in the Caribbean.

Survival was a luxury afforded only to the most aggressive, determined and creative, those who effectively used that part of the human capital, the only part to which one has total control - the Mind.

Jamaicans thus became creative experts at survival, a survival that was not necessarily related to one's formal education, or "Book Learning'' as it is called by a large segment of Jamaican society. However, one of the results of this process was that, those who chose to be "bad'' became very good at it.

Unfortunately this aspect of Jamaican life has been disproportionately represented, colouring the public's perception in a negative way. As only Shakespeare could have said it: "THE EVIL THAT MEN DO LIVES AFTER THEM, THE GOOD IS OFT INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES.'' But to those willing to think, to use their minds just a little, it must be apparent that the tiny island nation of approximately 2.5 million people, that is the most culturally influential piece of real estate in the world, per capita produces the greatest athletes in the world, and has produced the likes of Marcus Garvey, Norman Manley, Alexander Bustamante, George William Gordon, Paul Bogle, Nanny, Louise Bennett, Michael Manley, George Headley, Colin Power, Gordon "Butch'' Stewart, The Issas, The Matalons, Bob Marley, and the Reggae Boys, to name just a few, can't be all bad. Think about it! TREVOR W. FYFE Hamilton Parish Crime and punishment October 27, 1999 Dear Sir, I read in today's paper under the caption "Hamilton Youth Busted for $1,900.00. This was the fine levied on him for possession of COCAINE, CANNABIS AND CANNABIS RESIN. For his punishment he was fined a mere $1,900.00.

Is this fair? A few years ago the courts sent our black men to prison for possessing small grams of marijuana. The more I see, read and hear I am convinced that the so called `cleansweep' was a political move that never got UBP re-elected to power. You cannot fool the people. Where are all those politicians now? Why are they not condemning the pushers/users now, and why are these people only being fined, rather than being sent to prison as the others.

I am watching to see how the courts deal with people and drugs, no matter what race or class. The message should be clear. IS JUSTICE FOR ALL? Maybe Mr. King can answer me.

HPE VOTER Hamilton Parish Time for a change November 1, 1999 Dear Sir, For 350 years until 1968 the House of Assembly had 36 members, four being elected from each of the nine parishes. Since then it has had 40 members, two being elected from each of 20 constituencies. It was good that the ancient parish boundaries were retained but it was a mistake to increase the number of members and to have dual member constituencies.

The present number of registered voters is as follows: St. George N. 1,568.

St. George S. 1,643.

Hamilton E. 1,557.

Smith N. 1,564.

Smiths S. 1,581.

Devonshire N. 2,157.

Devonshire S. 2,141.

Pembroke E. 1,660.

Pembroke EC 1,707.

Pembroke WC 1,805.

Pembroke W 1,696.

Paget E. 1,206.

Paget W 1,322.

Warwick E. 2,580.

Warwick W. 2,474.

Southampton E. 1,686.

Southampton W. 1,750.

Sandys N. 2,351.

Sandys S. 2,178.

Total 36,139.

If the number of members is reduced to 36, then each MP should represent 1,004 voters. This can be achieved in one of two ways. (1) First past the post.

This would require the creation of 36 constituencies as follows: Dividing each of St. George, Smiths and Paget into three constituencies; dividing each of Devonshire, Southampton and Sandys into four constituencies; dividing Pembroke into seven constituencies.

Each voter would put one X on the ballot paper against the nominated candidate of his/her choice. St. George/Hamilton 6,311 voters six members Smiths/Devonshire 7,443 seven members Pembroke 6,868 seven members Paget/Warwick 7,582 eight members Southampton/Sandys 7,935 eight members Total 36,139 36 members.

Each voter would number the nominated candidates on the ballot in the order of his /her preference.

WILLIAM M. COX