I feel The Bermuda Hospitals Board should have used "Armed Forces'' on the plaque dedicating the War Veterans Memorial Wing at the Hospital rather than "Soldiers''. Those of us who served with the Navy, Merchant Marine and Air Force may feel left out.

H.F.S.

Paget A powerful deterrent August 31, 2000 Dear Sir, In recent weeks there has been much talk about out of control dogs and unruly young people. Unfortunately, I do not understand what the problem is, as I believe that the old ways worked once and if given a chance will work again.

Let me tell you a story. I work in one of the many "combat zones'' that blight our wonderful Island home: Drugs, prostitution and general thievery abound. The first indication of a problem was when a police cruiser roared to a halt outside, two cops hopped out and ran into the shop.

"Roberts, we want your extinguisher.'' "My what?'' "Your fire extinguisher.'' "Over in the corner, what's up?'' "So and so has gone nuts and turned his Pitbull on us, one officer has been bitten already.'' With that, they ran out, with my 40-pound CO2 fire extinguisher, hopped in the cruiser and drove off.

Later I heard that when they arrived at the scene the Pitbull went for them, "whoosh'' and the dog fell down and stayed down. The owner then rushed forward, `whoosh'' and he went down. Then he got up, "whoosh'' and he went down again. I am reliably informed that it took three attempts to get him cuffed and in the cruiser.

So there you have it, old fashioned treachery overtakes youth and enthusiasm every time, not to mention the odd Pitbull. By the way, C02 is powerful stuff, very cold.

DOUGLAS C. ROBERTS Sandys Parish Lessons to be learned August 30, 2000 Dear Sir, The Royal Gazette (Friday, August 18, 2000), quoted Lawyer Mark Pettingill as describing the Rebecca Middleton murder case as a `fiasco'. I don't think that anyone of us would deny that the case has turned out to be one of "passing the buck''. I guess we all can understand that.

My understanding for the Commission of Inquiry is that lessons would be learned so that a similar situation would not happen again.

Mr. Editor, the lessons to be learned were not for the judiciary only, but for all of us. There are lessons for those of us that live in this Island, and have guests stay in our houses from time to time.

I think it is universal instinct for hosts to take care, and look after their guests, and to be responsible to a point, for them.

In the Royal Gazette, Saturday, August 26, 2000, on the front page, and I quote. "Solicitor General, William Pearce, yesterday called the decision to charge Kirk Mundy as an accessory after the fact to Rebecca Middleton's murder, `highly irresponsible' and `highly irregular.' '' I think this can pretty well describe the whole case from beginning to end, starting from the night that Miss Middleton went to St. George's.

Mr. Editor, I am baffled and puzzled. How can a host take a guest out, and return home without the guest! This is beyond me.

Mr. Editor I have a few questions, that may help us, should there be a similar situation: 1. When no taxi seemed to be available, why did not a member of the family make himself/herself available to pick up the two young ladies? 2. Why was not Miss Middleton, as the guest, allowed to ride on the cycle which had one rider, seeing that would have been more comfortable? 3. Why did not the host see to it that the cycle with Miss Middleton leave ahead of her, and that Miss. Middleton is kept always in her sight? 4. Was the host under the impression that the cycle with Miss Middleton was with them, when apparently there was no roar of an engine, nor flashing of the light from the other cycle at that time of night or morning, as the case may be.

5. Finally, Mr. Editor at what point and time did the host see Miss. Middleton alive for the last time? Mr. Editor, there are as much lessons for us as residents to learn, as well as the judiciary. Miss Middleton did not have to die. The whole `fiasco' could have been avoided in the first place. I hope we all learn some lessons from it.

RENDOL JAMES Sandys Parish Let justice prevail August 30, 2000 Dear Sir, Here we go again. Same old can of worms and same old song. And the same tune on the issue of the Long-Term Residents' Paper. It seems as if the Government, whichever party is in power, has nothing better to talk about. When are we going to put this issue to rest once and for all and get on with our lives, instead of labelling us as some sort of aliens? I would just love to know how many of these long term residents' children who are of voting age, voted on our last election. I am sure they made a difference and the PLP, the government-to-be at the time, seemed as if they would be the government to bring justice to this issue. Unfortunately it seems as if it was another political issue only worth talking about. They sure got their votes! Many times we hear of some of these people who came here of their own free will and stayed on and on...But how about the children in their early teens and even younger than that, who came here holding their mother's hands to join their fathers that were already here for years? These people have now grown, worked, married, and have had their own children here, yet have never had the chance to get their status for one reason or another. What is the PLP's opinion on that? At one time or another when the Government finishes their census, I wonder if we're going to see the answer to the question of whether one is black or white, Portuguese, or long term resident? Enough is enough. Let's get it over with and let justice prevail... ENOUGH VOTES Pembroke Attack was unwarranted September 7, 2000 Dear Sir, I hope the Hamilton Rotary Club does not have Mr. Robert Stewart back as its luncheon speaker. He should join the effort for fairness in this country like many of us do. I respect his right to criticise Government or anybody with whatever ideas one might put forward.

However this should be done without personal attacks whether it be on ordinary residents or MPs. It was rotten of him to attack the Hon. David Allen personally in his speech to Rotary, September 5, 2000 instead of sticking to what Mr. Allen is doing in government.

I say those personal attacks during his speech were an insult to the intelligence of members of Rotary present and others. That club has great prestige. I noticed that Mr. Stewart was devoid of an alternative to Mr.

Allen's plan to revive Bermuda's hotels and tourism. If David Allen can't bring it back, then God help us. I owe him nothing.

As a politically neutral person I notice that certain things that were flouted by the previous Government seemed all right but pushed by the present Government seem wrong.

On another subject: I wonder what percentage of those who met with the Police Commissioner and others have the work ethic we Bermudians have been known for generally. Several companies are searching for masons, carpenters and labourer workers for other occupations.

ROSS TUZO Warwick Seventh Day tradition September 7, 2000 Dear Sir, In Mr. Sanders Frith-Brown's letter, Is this a democracy? September 7, he states that if five ministers in the house were of Seventh Day Adventist persuasion, we would have no shopping or Saturday anything.

I take great exception to that statement, for the simple reason these people (Adventists) are only doing what Jesus did, and what the Jews did long before Jesus and that is Remember the seventh day and keep it holy. And after Jesus left this earth the early believers in Christianity still did no shopping or anything on Saturday. As a matter of fact the Romans changed the worship day from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week.

So Mr. Frith-Brown if you want to compare, please use some other way of doing so. It's quite obvious you don't keep the seventh day holy.

MANIE J. IBLE Pembroke Hotel replies to Hester September 8, 2000 Dear Sir, Hester must have been well pleased with everything else at Newstead as she only complained about her steak in yesterday's paper. I apologise for the blood but she did have direct control over it. Why didn't she send it back to the kitchen, and complain at the time? It's difficult for us to deal with an anonymous person through a newspaper. Newstead is small enough to cater to our guest's individual wishes. I have, on occasion, re-opened the bar when a guest requested a drink. Hester's gallant gentleman had only to walk 20 steps to the front desk and ask for assistance.

One does not have to be a guest in the hotel to dine in our "smart-casual' restaurant. You don't have to "dress to the nines'' to enjoy the ambiance of Newstead.

ADRIANNA GOODFELLOW Paget Thanks for the help September 8, 2000 Dear Sir, I would like to take a few lines to thank your valuable editorial page for making public the radio transmission difficulties taxi drivers were having over the last three months.

The day my complaint was made public thanks to The Royal Gazette , letters to the Editor, the transmission fault was repaired the same day. Again Radio Cabs is in service covering the whole Island.

TAXI DRIVER Warwick