state of Bermuda's failing education system has arisen because of the lack of vision for education in this country. Consequently, our children, our most precious human resources are perishing.

Can we, the parents, the principals, the teachers, the education officials and the rest of the community let this horrendous state of the education system continue? Isn't it time to stem the tide? Isn't it time to shut the floodgates on failing our children and rise to the challenge of making Bermuda's education system a world class system and a model of education for the rest of the world? Not only does our Country have the financial resources and the dedicated and committed people to carry out this feat, but also our forefathers handed us down a legacy of excellence in education. Consequently, we owe it to our children to provide for them a basic sound education that will equip them to meet world class standards in education.

What is the solution to this frightening situation? In 1996, a Curriculum Audit report was published. It is available at the Bermuda Library. I do not believe the stakeholders involved in this report ever assumed responsibility for the report. Yet, we, the taxpayer paid $45,000 to have the audit of the system carried out.

How can we get the stakeholders to assume responsibility for this report? In three days, using DACUM, a controlled brainstorming process, the Curriculum Audit report can be transformed into a working document with the clear identification of short range and long range goals. The process would involve all of the stakeholders -- parents, principals, teachers, education officials and the community. At the end of the process, the Country would have a working document and the stakeholders having produced the document would claim ownership to the document.

Interestingly enough, the present Minister of Education, Senator Milton Scott demanded that the former Permanent Secretary of Education, Dr. Marion Robinson, be fired because this audit report indicated that the system was failing. Now, the Minister is in the position where he can do something to turn the system around by making the audit report a workable document and causing the stakeholders to claim ownership for the document.

Alas! a note of caution! Can we expect the people who were at the helm who created the problems to now turn around and solve the problems? How foolish and naive can we be? Won't they perpetuate a failing system? I understand that when this same audit report was carried out in Kentucky, and the district was reported to be failing, Central Office was scraped. They re-organised the Central Office and everyone had to reapply for their jobs. Needless to say, some people were replaced in the shuffle.

Should Bermuda follow suit? In November 1997, I applied for the position of Education Officer in Social Studies. The successful applicant was Mr.

Llewellyn Simmons who did not take up the post immediately after being appointed in March 1998 as he was abroad working towards his doctorate. If my information serves me correctly he has not been awarded the doctorate yet.

I quote from my book, Let Justice Flow -- A Black Woman's Struggle for Equality in Bermuda, "What was most insulting, however, was being interviewed by the Senior Officer for curriculum, Instruction and Evaluation, who I remember as being a guidance counsellor. She has a Master's degree in Guidance and Counselling and she is responsible for the development of curriculum for the system. Is it any wonder that when the auditors came to evaluate the system, not only did they give the system a failing grade, but also the area with the most dismal and depressing results was curriculum? It is interesting to note that many unqualified persons are in high-salaried, top-level positions without the needed minimum skills and competencies to perform in an effective manner within the system.'' Time to take the Bull by the Horns.

MURIEL M. WADE-SMITH, Ph.D.

Smith's Parish What a shame July 8, 2000 Dear Sir, With all the ongoing discussion about Bermuda's treatment of tourists, I though I would tell you what happened on the 8.45 p.m. bus number 11 this evening.

Two young women were on this bus, one of whom arrived in Bermuda today, the other last week. They boarded the bus to find no driver, since he was making a telephone call even though the bus should already have left. They put their tokens into the container, and sat down.

The driver boarded the bus two minutes later, and began yelling at the two women. Apparently, in his world, boarding a bus and paying your fare is a serious offence if he doesn't see you. They apologised several times, saying they didn't know they had done wrong, but he continued to yell at them, threatening to throw them off the bus. After he had thoroughly humiliated them in front of the rest of the passengers, he then finally got round to doing his job and drove away.

A few minutes later, a very kind lady passed them a note she had written. The note reassured them that they need not be embarrassed, and that the bus driver should have been more diplomatic. She ended the note by wishing them a good vacation, saying "We are people friendly''.

Well, she certainly is "people friendly'', but the other tourists on that bus saw only the driver. They only know about his behaviour, not the kindness of that passenger. What a shame.

WONDERING City of Hamilton Supporting CURE but... July 08, 2000 Dear Sir, Tom Vesey contributed an opinion on the proposed CURE regulations to the Bermuda Sun on June 30. It was a very good article. In it he pointed out many troubling disparities that cry out to be recognised and resolved. But he revealed that he has an incorrect impression of the views of the business community -- one that I fear may be widely held. Perhaps I can clarify the matter: Mr. Vesey said business must be prepared to put up with some cost and inconvenience to provide information that is essential. We accepted that responsibility long before the proposed Regulations were first tabled. The business community has suggested modifications to the annual return, which is contained in the Forms numbered 3 and 4, not the elimination of any of it. The amendments we suggested are intended only to reduce those costs, financial and otherwise, that do not add significantly to the value of the data being gathered. By agreeing to change the survey date, for example, the Minister eliminated an unnecessary duplication of the cost and effort incurred by businesses in preparing the annual Employment Survey and CURE's Form 3 at different times of the year.

Form 3 is the form on which we will indicate the racial makeup of our hierarchies and of our salary and benefit structures. We have readily agreed to provide all of this information, in spite of the cost and inconvenience it is bound to entail. We recognise that this form provides the data that CURE needs in order to determine if and where discrimination is being practiced.

Form 4 examines detailed aspects of the personnel selection process that we do not think Government should require of companies that are found to be in compliance with the objectives of CURE. Our recommendation with respect to this form was that this information be collected only from firms that are shown to be racially out of balance within their industry groups. In early conceptual dialogue with business, the Minister told us that companies whose annual `snapshop' (Form 3) revealed the need for remedial action would be assisted by CURE in diagnosing and correcting possible discriminatory practices. Such a process will be valuable, but will not be very much aided by the prior availability of the data from Form 4. Meanwhile, all companies, including the many which will be found not to require any intervention, will have to bear, every year, the intrusion, inconvenience and cost of providing this data.

The business community does support CURE. It is only the annual requirement, imposed on all companies, to complete Form 4 that we do not support. In our view, this adds cost without adding equivalent value and, constitutes an inappropriate Government intrusion into the management processes of many genuinely equal opportunity employers.

CRIS VALDES DAPENA President, Chamber of Commerce A sign of the times July 7, 2000 Dear Sir, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the lady who found my watch on the beach and returned it to the manager of Coral Beach. Unfortunately, she did not leave her name, so I am unable to thank her in person, but I wish her to know that the watch had great sentimental value, as well as dollar value.

After reading so often about the dishonesty and theft which seem to abound in our community, it is a pleasure to know that there are Bermudians out there who still have integrity and good honest values.

It is with pleasure that I am making a donation to PALS in her anonymous name as a token of my gratitude. PAT SIDDLE Sandys Parish Creating a bit of a stink The following letter was faxed to the Customer Service department of the Bermuda Electric Light Company and copied to The Royal Gazette .

July 9, 2000 Dear Sir, This morning at 9:30 a.m., July 9th, 2000 smoke was coming out of your east smoke stack. The wind was north east and therefore blowing towards my home in Paget.

An extremely odoriferous smell permeated out of the living room which has sliding glass doors on the north side, causing sneezing.

I am copying The Royal Gazette as there may be homes in this area that are affected.

CONRAD ENGELHARDT Paget