up in an ugly race row after typing a memo accusing a white colleague of racism and conspiring to take authority away from blacks. But, Hester wonders if this is, in fact, the same Doc Peters who taught a well-attended racial diversity workshop at the College not so long ago, in which he vehemently spoke out against making charges of racism and believing in race conspiracy theories without proper grounds to back them up. Perhaps the college board should send Doc Peters to the next workshop series as a student rather than the teacher...if he's still around! Now Hester knows that hotel managers are no stranger to making up beds on those, er, rare occasions unionised staff don't show for work.

But it seems managers in other industries are quickly catching on to having to perform the menial tasks of their workers in times of industrial strife. A friend of Hester's called the BTC switchboard on Tuesday morning only to realise that the chipper voice at the other end was none other than telephone company CEO Lorraine Lyle herself. The tough Canadian telecoms gal explained she'd stepped into the gap when staff walked off to the BIU's general meeting yesterday.

Hester wonders if she's any good at installing phone lines and performing the miracle of connection.

That familiar, dinky little van used to transport VSB crews from job to job is up for sale, according to a notice stuck to the window.

But -- in the best tradition of dog eat dog -- Hester hears a cameraman from rival ZBM wondered out loud at a Government press conference whether the irrepressible, and frugal, Kenny DeFontes was selling the van complete with VSB logo -- or the entire company. He asked: "Is that for the car or the company? I've got a hundred dollars.'' As they say in the glam world of TV, over to you in the studio, Kenny.

Tourism Director Gary Phillips may be on the way out of the hot seat, but the soon-to-be retiree's still got his eye on the ball -- or his eye on the eye of the hurricane. Working presumably on the sound basis that it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good -- Hester can reveal that Gary's lightning response to the hurricane that battered the Bahamas was to get on the phone ASAP to a bunch of US travel agents and put in a pitch for Bermuda as simply the best alternative destination for holidaymakers.

"Oh, you must send them our way,'' he flirted. Ah, Gary, you will be missed -- but probably not by the Bahamas Tourism Board.

Hester is concerned to hear a touch of 'flu has grounded high-flying Premier Jennifer Smith . This was revealed by the deputy prem. Eugene Cox , who while chairing a press conference Tuesday amid fears of an Island-wide strike over the ACE office site row, sincerely apologised for Ms Smith's absence from the head of her troops. Perhaps a touch of diplomatic 'flu, Hester might have thought, with her gruelling travelling schedule and all. But Hester feels sure the ever-loyal Colonel will be at beck and call to dispense a teeny little bit of champagne -- purely medicinal and restorative, of course.

Hester's well aware the Bank of Bermuda's profits are gettering fatter and fatter (though she wishes her shares would follow suit instead of to-ing and froing), however, she wonders whether its rich bottom line may be getting to its corporate head. Navigating its Website recently, she came across the institution's Y2K readiness plan. Among a list of "12 significant dates'' it says it has successfully pre-tested, is "1st January 20,001, First Day of New Year''. Who knows, maybe the bank really does believe it will be in business in the next 18,000 years time, and Hester knows you are supposed to invest for the long term, but this is getting ridiculous...