Approximately 15,000 people read the Royal Gazette each weekday. Some view the contents with cynicism and other accept the information as factual. Regardless of perception, the majority of your readers rely on `the daily' for extensive local and foreign news.

Some believe the reporters occasionally go on a smear campaign, and want to open everybody's closet. Of course false and damaging journalism is unacceptable both here or in any other democratic society.

Investigative reporting everywhere can be likened to one of former US President Bill Clinton's favourite old sayings, "If you find a turtle on a fence post, it didn't get there by accident.'' W.A. (TOPPY) COWEN Paget Thanking Agape staffers May 13, 2001 Dear Sir, Three weeks ago I lost my mom to lung cancer and not a day has gone by where I have not thought of her. Since her death, I have been wanting to say a special thank you to those at Agape House who made her last days comfortable.

What day would be more perfect than today, Mother's Day.

All of the Agape House staff showed thoughtfulness, friendship, and patience during my moms last days. Their kind efforts will never be forgotten by her children. This is a special thank you to all of you, and we appreciate the special job you do each day.

H. EUGENE AITKEN ANDREA CONNER'S SON Address crime, prices May 10, 2001 Dear Sir, I am sure that all those residents who are on a fixed income take special note on the ever increasing costs of food when shopping at our Supermarkets.

Every week or so you will notice an extra penny here and an extra penny there on a number of items, which does not seem important at the time, but if you are one of those who make it a habit of saving your sales slips over a period of six months or so, you will see that those pennies are mounting up.

Items like Maiers Bread up 32 cents, Filled Milk up 23 cents, and on and on it goes. I do my main shopping on a Wednesday, for obvious reasons, and usually I drop about $100 after the discount, and I find I am getting less and less as each week goes by. You cannot even fill two paper bags for that, and that is not buying fresh meat or fish which is now so expensive only the "rich and famous'' can afford it.

You are charged close to $5 a pound for pork spare ribs, so when you take away all the bones you realise what a ridiculous price you are paying for this small amount of meat.

Last week one supermarket had bundles of broccoli tied together so you had to buy the whole bunch, but the joke is that they left the stems on which were about six inches long and as thick as one's wrist! People who own houses soon found out that they could get very high prices in rent and now it looks like the Supermarkets are trying to get on the bandwagon. It would be interesting to know what kind of markup these Supermarkets have, and is there some kind of price control out there? Or do they just raise prices as they see fit? There has been a lot of questions asked about how to get Tourism back on track. During the `60s and `70s it was a well known fact that the best form of advertising was "word of mouth'' and all those satisfied tourists went home and spread the good word and it was passed along.

Today this form of advertising is still going on, but unfortunately it is no longer the "good word'' they are spreading -- they are telling their friends about all the crime that is going on every day of the week, a lot being committed against tourists and they only have to take with them a few copies of any newspaper to verify it.

They are telling them about the high cost of everything, starting with the airlines, hotels, restaurants, etc. and then they tell them about all the crazy drivers on the roads. Certainly not the "Unique Destination'' we see advertised and certainly not "The Isles of Rest'' like we used to advertise 40 years ago.

So until these things are addressed seriously, especially the crime, no amount of money spent on advertising is going to bring the tourists back.

SEEING IT AS IT IS Pembroke Casinos and tourists May 9, 2001 Dear Sir, I have just read the article on Donald Morris on revitalising our tourism industry and I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Morris' views on casinos. I am not a gambler but I do know that with a world-class casino we could certainly improve our night life entertainment considerably.

The gambler is going to gamble regardless how much government chooses to shield their own and allow these bars or "joints'' to operate their gambling machines for the locals! A quality casino will bring immediate increases in tourism and we can all benefit by the flow of cash.

While on the subject of improving Tourism, I fully agree with Mrs. Mello's points regarding the high cost of air fare and accommodations. This certainly is most frustrating, particularly when I note the smokescreen efforts of our Minister of Tourism to attract high wealth earners.

I have five daughters living on the East Coast of US (two hour flight) and they can fly to Europe for less money and stay at high end hotels for a lot less and let me also add that too often our tourists leave with a badly damaged wallet after they have double tipped for restaurant services because credit slips charges stop after the service charge, but not carried through to the bottom so they tip again! We must do something to correct this theft.

UPSET St. George's Reply to W&E Minister May 9, 2001 Dear Sir, I am writing in reference to the slaughter done to the poinciana tree at the junction of Serpentine and Pitts Bay Roads.

This once beautiful shade tree has been so severely cut back that, if it does survive, then the new branches will be so low that, not only the trucks will hit them, but also cyclists! Minister Alex Scott says that the tree was cut back so much because it was struck by a tractor trailer truck.

What he did not say was that this tree had three main branches and only ONE branch was damaged, and the others were in perfect shape, that is before the W&E chain saw got to them. I know because I saw the...

BROKEN BRANCH Pembroke The College replies May 10, 2001 Dear Sir, It is important to respond to "Concerned'' who complained in your May 9 issue about "noisy college students'' in the vicinity of the Bermuda College library.

The Bermuda College agrees with "Concerned'' that those wishing to study there should be given every opportunity to do so without distraction. We also agree with and maintain a "self-policing'' approach when it comes to minimising interior chat-noise levels. However, library staff remain vigilant in upholding this policy with discreet reminders to those users who tend to become somewhat exuberant in their quiet exchanges, and will typically encourage students interacting in groups in the library to retire to the library's conference room to carry on such discussions.

The overriding issue with "Concerned'' appears to be the lack of a physical presence of the College's security staff to deal with noise emanating from outside the library and which filters into the library building. It should be noted that this most likely occurs while students are moving between classes, and even for the slowest of class stragglers, should not exceed twenty minutes.

Still, judging from the date of the grievance, it is likely that "Concerned's'' own studying was disrupted as a result. The other factor that deserves mention, of course, is the fact that there are non-library departments within the library building, and given the open architectural plan of the facility, there is some difficulty in controlling any errant noise.

However, the College's campus security officers do indeed patrol the grounds, and do a commendable job considering their staffing numbers.

We would certainly welcome the opportunity to hear directly from "Concerned'' to discuss the matter further if he/she so chooses. And, despite "Concerned's'' grievance, the expression of general support for the library staff is appreciated.

In the meantime, we wish to ensure both "Concerned'' and members of the public that the Bermuda College remains committed to providing an environment of excellence for learning at the post-secondary education level, locally, and complete accountability to our various stakeholders as we do so.

MRS EVELYN JAMES BARNETT Director of Communications Bermuda College Tough question May 11, 2001 Dear Sir, With reference to the Fairmount Princess Hotels donating sheets, pillow cases and towels to the physical abuse center for women, it was a wonderful feeling to know that they really care.

Does this mean that Minister Paula Cox can now grant them permission to bring in foreign housekeepers? OBSERVER Southampton Tonya thanks donor.. May 10, 2001 Dear Sir, Today I must thank a very kind Samaritan in our community. I have spent most of this academic year away from school due to an illness called Fibromyalgia.

A very kind citizen anonymously donated a generous amount of money to help me financially and I would like to let that person know that I am very grateful for their kind gesture.

TONYA SYMONDS Pembroke ...And `bigs up' youth May 10, 2001 Dear Sir, As a teenager in Bermuda today. I have heard how much adults in our society say that we teenagers are so negative and that we do not show enough positivity.

However, Sunday evening at Ruth Seaton James, when a group of Berkeley students held an excellent fundraising concert, (so that they could represent Bermuda at an international conference,) where were the positivity-seekers when our youth needed them most? People are too quick to jump on us when things go wrong, but are not fast enough when things are productive. Have an open mind, there are inspiring youth in Bermuda even if you don't see them on the front page.

TONYA SYMONDS Pembroke A child's love May 3, 2001 Dear Sir, When my mummy picked us up from school today I heard Carol Marshall telling students they could write a letter to you saying why they love their mummy. So here is my letter.

I love my mummy with all my heart! She does so many things for me and my brother. First my mother has been very strict on manners and continuously reminds my brother and I before we go anywhere.

She is also very strict about school. She says "your education comes first''! Although my mummy is very strict about all this she is a very fun, loving caring lady. She loves children and I know that my brother and I are "her life''.

She not only coaches some of the sports we play but also takes us to all our practices, comes to all our games and makes the most noise cheering for us.

Mummy not only does things with my brother and I but she also teaches preschool. We always have children at our house because mummy makes it a fun place to be.

I love my mummy with all my heart.

DYLAN DESILVA Warwick