December 12, 1999 Dear Sir, It is too late to be considering capital punishment; we abolished that almost a generation ago when our riotous opposition to it faced the nation with an anarchy quelled only by foreign troops.

Since then the establishment has had no option but to avoid risking a repeat uprising sparked by the hanging of anyone whose background or cause might arouse public anger.

This constraint threatened to produce a discriminatory system favouring the high profile murderer, perhaps even at the expense of some wretched down-and-out, if pro-hanging sentiment needed to be appeased.

Wisely, this anomalous situation was resolved by putting our hanging laws on hold where they will, in the interest of justice and public order, remain until they are repealed.

DELIVERANCE St. George's Elderly were let down December 12, 1999 Dear Sir, It is really amazing just how inappropriately the "health care system'' -- addressed the year of the older person -- 1999.

Little -- if anything, was given. Some terrible injustices and a great deal of disrespect were clearly shown. In fact -- a lot was actually taken away -- from a generation or more, that has given much.

Personally, I am embarrassed and disappointed by the lack of respect given.

Politically -- there has been zero headway and sympathy or even an inkling of understanding toward the people to whom we owe a huge debt of gratitude. The hurt out there is cruel and unkind. Bureaucratic red-tape and political "wannabes'' have never paved the way for anyone but themselves. Insincerity and political expediency have always only ever benefited self interest.

As an individual -- as one person -- I am committed to enhancing the lot of the sick and elderly.

Although health care executors, policymakers and politicians would have us believe otherwise -- they will all require the very same help, one day -- they deny the people that need it.

Majority and obligation are much bigger than politics, and much more important. Nobody leaves this world with their health intact.

In a strange way -- because of my own health problem -- I am glad for having had the experience and living with the effect it has had on my life.

I never saw the inequalities and injustices -- I just felt sorry.

Now that I do -- because it happened to me -- I feel disgusted that nowhere near enough has ever been done. The primary offenders being those who were voted to a position of trust -- who failed miserably.

They have always appeared able-bodied -- however their mind set was obviously handicapped.

Please Bermuda let us all collectively and individually change this approach in the New Year.

Because this year was a non-event for our seniors -- let us go forward with some real commitment and use 2000 to put in place all the things we took away from the largest growing sector of our Island home.

Please, no more talk, no more speeches. Just deliver! MARK SELLEY Chairman The Bermuda Stroke and Family Support Association An excellent service December 9, 1999 Dear Sir, The family of the late Mr. Stephen Dill, a worker on the Hamilton Docks since 1959, was the first family to ride in the new limo shuttle on September 17, 1999. The driver was on time, early in fact and waited for us to assemble.

This was great because the family was not very close and having to ride in one car made for conversation that would probably not have occurred.

It allowed the family to concentrate on the funeral service rather than worry about what car one would be traveling in, or where the car - taxi was parked, and in my case having to go get a family member or the like. There was soothing music, tinted windows and nearness to one another. This gave me a special feeling, just like wedding cars have ribbons. funerals deserve limos!!!! Yeah, the taxi business would lose a job here and there but this one car business was classy, a service that should have been on the books a while ago.

Sorry for so long writing this but better late than never. Go Augustus!!! The News media did not even find it news. A first in this Island and not news warranted. Does that tell me something, yeah! Only the bad stuff gets prioritized. Such is life! MRS. K. LANDY Devonshire Clean up Court Street December 14, 1999 Dear Sir, For clarification purposes, I am a die-hard PLP supporter and feel the need to put my party's feet to the fire over the drug plague gripping the Island.

On November 9, 1998 I voted for change. I was tired of seeing so many of my brothers and sisters being devastated by drug abuse. Court Street was totally out of control. I was convinced that this was all a racist plot by the government of the day to allow drug sales to flourish in the blackest part of Hamilton. Now, a year after the PLP victory, Court Street is worse. I used to go there to party, but no more. Court Street is the armpit of Bermuda. Alaska Hall, the Headquarters of my party, located on Court Street, is surrounded by drug dealing, gambling and prostitution. What a travesty! The drug infested parking lot on Court Street, owned by the BIU is a playground of iniquity.

Derrick Burgess was on TV last night complaining that the Police are not using their manpower adequately in order to combat crime since 85 percent of all crimes are drug related.

Personally I am getting tired of all this blaming, ineffective management and passing of the buck. Excuses, excuses. I tell you what, the buck stops at my vote! The Police, Government, Corporation of Hamilton et al need to get together now and come up with a solution to the disgrace occurring on Court Street! I voted for this Government and I will hold my representatives accountable. I implore all parties involved to find a solution now.

FRONTLINE SOLDIER Warwick Use hotels for housing December 10, 1999 Dear Sir, There was New York Hotel on Victoria Street, there was the Savoy Hotel, there was Imperial Hotel, Tasty Towers, Pickle Barrel-Club 9, just to name a few.

These were single and room dwellings, all long gone now. But what replaced these -- nothing! So where did you expect these people to go? Why should I have to put up with a son or daughter who is irresponsible? These types of single dwellings have to be made available. Where? The base barracks! I've heard people say these would be like the projects in the US. But can't we learn from their mistakes! Have better security, which would be included in the lease or whatever.

What about Club Med Hotel? Why not study how the co-op housing is in the US.

Since we seem to copy their ways so much, we can learn how they are working, and their falls. So many experts come here and tell us about what we already know. Maybe these could be looked into at little cost by our own.

I could go on and cause controversy on the non-Bermudians having some place to stay. But it about solutions! Please prayfully make these suggested solutions something to bring to light because my people are suffering more than you realise. Open your eyes! DEVONSHIRE NORTH Margaret misses point November 30, 1999 Dear Sir, Re: Oops, it's Payback Time -- The Royal Gazette today. To Margaret, the author of that little "snippet,'' I have this response.

Margaret, when you speak of "your dead'' who were dishonoured last year on Remembrance Day, exactly who were you talking about? Were you talking solely about your ancestors? Or were you talking about all of the different nationalities and races whose lives were lost fighting that horrendous war! When you speak of dishonouring the dead, have you ever given thought to the millions of people who died in the Middle Passage crossing? If you do not know what the Middle Passage is, I will attempt to explain.

The Middle Passage was the passage used during the 400 years of slave trade between Africa, the Americans, the Caribbean, South America etc. Because of this "capitalistic'' undertaking, millions of enslaved people died. If it had not been for Wayne James, the founder of the Homeward Bound Foundation, a vast majority of people, black, white and "others,'' would still be ignorant to what transpired during that era. It is claimed that if the Atlantic Ocean ran dry, there would be a line of human bones stretching from Africa to the Americas. You talk about dishonouring the dead, just think of the millions of human bones lying on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, the world's biggest unmarked graveyard. These millions of dead lay dishonoured until Wayne James, a native of St. Croix, founder of the Homeward Bound Foundation, had the vision of honouring these dead by lowering a monument onto the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 427 miles of the coast of New York in July, 1999. If you would like to find out more about the events which took place after lowering of this monument, visit their web page www.middlepassage.org, you will be guaranteed some hair-raising reading! The people you are talking about went to war for various reasons and unfortunately, died. These people have been honoured for their bravery ever since the war ended, and I for one, honour all those who gave their lives during that time.

The people I am talking about were millions of people who were torn from their families, who had chains put around their necks, shoved into holes of slave ships, shipped from their homes for capital gain, only to have untold numbers unceremoniously and dishonourably thrown overboard when bad weather ensued.

These barbaric deeds were done to lighten the load for the sole purpose of saving captain, crew, and ship. This was dishonour! Margaret, you wrote, "your dead let everyone know they were fighting men and it was payback time.'' You wrote, "the dead got their laugh in front of thousands of people because the Premier lost a shoe.'' Margaret "your dead'' were not honoured by the embarrassment of the Premier losing a shoe. "Your dead'' were in fact dishonoured immensely by our ridiculous comment.

By the way, are you related to "Straight Talking''? PAT FERGUSON Warwick Local navy plan exists November 16, 1999 Dear Sir, I read with interest and amusement the headlines in the Monday, November 15 Royal Gazette entitled "Bda may get mini-navy''. Interest, because it takes an outsider to table questions about our lack of deep-sea & air-sea rescue capabilities to assist us in our ongoing battle against drugs. Amusement because that is the same thing that Mr. Arthur Raynor has been preaching about for the past 20 years or more.

A headline story in the April 14, 1994 issue of The Royal Gazette outlines a 36-page report/proposal Mr. Raynor (a firefighter) had put together to help the Bermuda Government get the ball rolling on this most important issue of acquiring a helicopter to fight the drugs war. His helicopter report, whose use also included involvement by the Bermuda Regiment, was scoffed at by some as being a waste of time and money as Bermuda has had (and will always have) the US Navy to carry out those responsibilities for us. But, as he had predicted, the US Navy would one day leave us and we would have to train our own aircraft crash firefighter, weather forecasters and air traffic controllers, this has (as he had predicted) proven true.

The Minister Paula Cox mentions in the November 15 article about the dollars and cents factor with her statement of "upkeep and maintenance costing us millions of dollars''.

Well hello people! We have already spent and will continue to spend millions of dollars in cost for incarcerating prisoners, rehabilitation, crime, extra Police officers and the social upheaval that our major drugs problem has caused.

A recent industry publication reports Jamaica (which some in Bermuda still class as third world) recently took delivery of another multi-million dollar state-of-the-art helicopter to assist the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) in its search and rescue and drugs war.

If we are serious about eradicating drugs from our shores then we have to stop bemoaning the cost factor and wake to the real world. Mr. Raynor's report -- which was sent to both the UBP and the PLP -- should have being hailed as visionary, but it probably now sits on a shelf collecting dust.

As was also pointed out in the November 15 article, the UK has a fleet of vessels made redundant in the post-Cold War and I might add the US navy also has fleets of helicopters in moth balls both of which we could receive one or two free as a donation. But for one reason or the other I am sure we would turn down the offer (remember the free fire trucks we refused from the departing US Navy?) What would have cost us $3 million four years ago will now cost us $5 million today and $7 million by the time we act and realise Bermuda is one of the last countries in the world that can afford (but does not have) deep-sea and air-sea rescue capabilities. But as usual we depend on others to carry the ball for us.

WATCHING IN AMAZEMENT Warwick Diversity goes both ways December 9, 1999 Dear Sir, "Doing My Best'' writes to you (December 10) that when visiting a bank, there was abuse by a male customer for responding to a teller's "good afternoon'' with a "hi''.

This points up the value and necessity of diversity training.

With such training, the man would have readily understood that in the diversity of the world there are many millions of people who will say "hi'', "hello'' or "g'day'' etc., in response to "good afternoon,'' (and vice versa) and for whom such a response is customary and certainly no less respectful.

The very purpose of diversity training is to foster understanding and respect for the diverse ways of others. It is a two-way street leading to an acceptance that others may do things differently and there is nothing wrong with that. If ever there was a classic example of a candidate for urgent, intensive-care diversity training, it is that intolerant man at the bank.

Diversity training will lead to understanding -- for example -- that if you board a crowded elevator in New York and announce, as is often done in Bermuda, `Good morning!' it will be assumed that you are addressing a friend.

As a consequence, if there is no friend, to the well-meaning Bermudian's chagrin, there will be blank expressions and a deafening silence. Diversity training will explain why this is quite normal and not disrespectful.

In the case of Doing My Best, it is indeed cart-before-horse to feel it necessary to offer a reason for non-conformity to that particular Bermudian idiosyncrasy.

Until diversity training can be broadly extended, people like "Doing My Best'' will have to soldier on, putting up with many in a community that has far to go in even understanding diversity, let along getting around to respecting the diverse ways of others.

DIVERSITY St. George's