I hope the organisers of the End to End Walk are planning another walk next weekend -- this time to pick up all the trash that they left behind this weekend. I walked on the Railroad Trail on Sunday and was disgusted with the amount of "fresh trash'' from Paget to Somerset.

It is apparent that they had "water stations'' set up because from certain points there are long trains of bottle caps, paper, bottles and trash. A sad commentary on these walkers and on the organisers. I hope the organisers will get some clean up crews right away -- even if they have to use some of their proceeds to do so.

KEEP BERMUDA CLEAN Paget Educate our Ministers! April 30, 1999 Dear Sir, This is a short letter to make known a personal observation and opinion in an area that I feel has far-reaching effects both historically and at this present time for Bermuda's welfare as a whole. Included in your newspaper on April 29 was a section taken out by the Ministry of the Environment requesting submissions from the public on possible areas of concern for a proposed Green Paper on Bermuda's marine resources. As someone who is very concerned about this issue and who would like to input my ideas and viewpoints on this area, I begin to think deeply about not only the specifics around this issue (fish pots, fisherman, protected areas) but also about the structure of Government that is overseeing this process.

I would like to share this though with my fellow Bermudians and all who chance to read this submission. This letter is not so much about the Green Paper itself but about who is overseeing the process. How can we continue to place at the leadership of ministries (i.e. Ministry of Environment) people who are totally uneducated, uninformed, and have no "INNER'' relation demonstrated in their past to the area of their ministry. Yes, we follow the Westminster system of government and parliamentary law, but that doesn't mean we have to throw caution to the wind in the selection of our Ministers. It just doesn't make sense. Let's be wise about who we choose to administrate such important functions.

Please understand this is not just directed to the Ministry of Environment but also to other relevant situations as they may occur and as they have in the past. But the Ministry of the Environment potentially plays such an important, critical role in the welfare of our total beings as Bermudians that the "captain of that ship'' cannot just be any body or in any frame of mind. I do not know how much the public understands my feelings from this letter. I do not know how much difference a letter like this can make. What I do know is that our children deserve service in an unbiased, professional, educated and most of all feeling manner. All the degrees in the world do not do that! Cannot more be done to insure that potential ministers have some previous education or real world experience through past participation or involvement in their prospective ministries? Or if these criteria are not met, and a potential minister is valued for his social or administrative abilities, can it not be a process in place to insure that ministers are continually being educated both formally and at the grass roots level with those involved in the issues surrounding their ministries? Note: these stats usually add some relevancy to these letters -- I am a 24-year-old black male Bermudian, educated and working class.

YOU'RE NOT FOOLING ME! Hamilton Parish Let's try something new April 30, 1999 Dear Sir, Please allow me some space so that I may voice my concern over the announcement of the Marriott closure.

We have watched over the past 20 years more and more visitors properties going out of business. Some have closed and nothing has happened with them. Others have turned into condos. Where will the Castle Harbour fit? Will this be a Club Med? I hope not, but I'm not sure and neither is Bermuda Properties at the moment.

Bermuda Properties do not at this time have investment dollars to renovate to what they claim will be a five-star property when completed nor do they have a management agreement with another hotel chain. I'm curious about this since we have just lost a leading hotel name because of massive losses. Why would another chain want to manage a property in a destination with a track record of losses and a season that barely reaches six months? What makes a five-star property? Service is one element and we seem to have a problem with being successful with three-star service and if we do get this five-star property what would be the room rate? We're already considered expensive and we don't have a five-star property yet! Our weather does not allow us to attract visitors from November through March and April and October is questionable so we could have five good months in a year. How does any business manage to employ staff for 12, carry bank loans for 12, pay rents for 12? It seems to me that every other business is based on a 12 month cycle except for those in tourism. Isn't this out of whack? What little a business makes in the short season is absorbed in the winter trying to stay afloat.

I have been in the group Incentive and Convention business for 20 years. I have watched this country adapt and learn how to service a group. Our infrastructure works. The taxi industry has learned how to move hundreds of people. The drivers all have cell phones and are, for the most part very dependable. Fifteen years ago getting groups just to a restaurant was a huge problem. There are boats with enough capacity to move 1,200 people at one time. We have enough mono sail boats to do a Sailing Regatta for hundreds, and enough fishing boats to do a tournament for 100 or so in one day. We can now provide lighting, sound, themes, decor, tables, chairs and a tent that can accommodate hundreds of people. Bermuda has adapted to the group market and we should be proud of that because it all adds to the quality experience an Incentive participant will have here and this makes life for an Incentive planner easy and Bermuda a safe sell.

When the Marriott closes we will be left with the Southampton Princess who can realistically handle an incentive programme that is larger than 100 persons.

Remember the hotels have a hard time attracting the vacationer because the room rates are high as compared to a cruise ship. So groups have been there to fill that void. This also applies to all those support people I mentioned earlier.

The Elbow Hotel is certainly getting to be Incentive quality but without the sufficient function space they are unable to accommodate the larger groups of more than 100 persons.

Unfortunately the Sonesta Beach is not Incentive quality and neither is the Hamilton Princess. So if an incentive group of say 200 people want Bermuda and the Southampton Princess can not accommodate them at the time they want they will more than likely choose another destination.

The Incentive programmes, in most cases have the budget that we need. Without the Marriott we run the risk of losing some of that support system. So if and when we get this fabulous five-star hotel we may not have the facilities to support it.

As a company we have already moved two of our boats, the Georgiana and the Reef Goddess to Cuba because there was not the need for them in Bermuda any longer. Our ability to service the quality groups in the fashion that's required is going to deteriorate even further without the Marriott.

We have heard from the retail industry on how much difficulty they are having, the taxi industry virtually stops from November through March, the water sports and water tour business stops during this time and our hotels are empty. How much water can we all tread? Tony Brannon's letter recently about casinos was of some interest to me.

Although I don't think it will attract the amount of people Tony seems to think, I do believe however it is worth taking a very serious look at. As a resort we need the flexibility and some kind of identity. Allowing gambling doesn't have to be the ruination of our society, but rather gives us a little more to offer the customer.

I'm just surprised that our politicians haven't looked at this a little closer and given the idea at least a chance. Business is dying guys, and we need to try new and different things. Special interest like diving and eco tourism is important too, but it isn't enough to fuel a very spoiled and expensive society.

DEREK MORRIS President Bermuda Incentives and Conventions Webb's mind made up May 2, 1999 Dear Sir, In the press, Telecommunications Minister, Renee Webb, has asked why the CARE Organisation has decided to boycott BDC/CellularOne ("Cellularone''), rather than waiting for the results of the government study on this issue.

The main reason is that, given the comments made to date by the Minister, especially those which appeared in The Royal Gazette on 24 April, it is quite obvious that her mind is already made up. (One might turn Ms Webb's question around on Ms Webb herself by asking why is she taking so strong an opposition to the tower before the results of the study are available!) Given Ms Webb's clear opposition to the position of CARE, it is obvious that there is no serious prospect of the government intervening. In order to succeed in this campaign, CARE will have to rely on initiatives other than any which the present government may take.

In your newspaper of 1 May, Transport Minister, Ewart Brown, asks why CARE has targeted one tower when there are 37 towers on the island. The answer to this is again obvious: only one tower is being constructed in the backyards of those associated with CARE.

The government has apparently converted this question into the wider question of whether all 37 towers are hazardous and should be dismantled. The wider question is a worthwhile question -- and I personally would be quite pleased if all 37 towers were dismantled -- but this question should be treated separately. Preventing the construction of a tower whose construction had hardly commenced at the time the concerns of CARE were first raised is very different from tearing down an existing infrastructure. The government asks only the wider question in anticipation of the predictable position that it will be impractical and costly to dismantle them all.

DISAPPOINTED IN `PEOPLE'S' GOVT.

Warwick Religious aspect needed May 3, 1999 Dear Sir, In the various reports in the media regarding the plans for the Millennium celebrations, I have not noticed any geared towards the religious significance of the year 2000 AD (Anno Domini -- Year of Our Lord). At the very least, there should be some provision for the Christian Leadership of the Island, especially the Bishop of Bermuda, to have a significant role.

In order to forestall objections from those who have religious affiliations other than Christianity, I would point out that they use other dating systems in keeping with their beliefs. The Jewish calendar is based on a system of 360 days per year and the birth of Our Lord has no significance, so they are many thousands of years ahead on their calendar. The Muslims use the Year of the Prophet as their significant date.

I trust that the Millennium Committee will make known their plans to honour Our Lord in the "Year of Our Lord 2000''.

LINDA DESILVA City of Hamilton Cricketers to be proud of April 18, 1999 Dear Sir, The late Alma Hunt was indeed one of the best cricketers Bermuda has even had.

When he was about 18 years old he went to the West Indies to try to be selected as a batsman in the Test team. He scored 50 runs, and the only reason he was not selected was because Bermuda had no Board of Cricket control. What a pity! But Bermuda has had a Cricket Board of Control for some time and the late Hunt was one of its Presidents. Calvin (Bummy) Symonds could have been selected as an all rounder, and Lloyd James could have been selected as a slugger. Tuppy Parfitt could even now be selected to play for England or Bermuda a first-class bowler, and it is possible that he could set a record for the number of wickets taken in Tests. If he played for Bermuda all of us Bermudians would be so proud of him.

RUSSELL DISMONT Calle Flores, Puerto Rico