The awarding of Government contracts in Bermuda has always been a subject that riles certain individuals in Bermuda. Take Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb for instance.

Reporting on the Motion to Adjourn debate from the previous day, the June 10 edition of The Royal Gazette noted that Ms Webb accused me of "angrily complaining to her that a company, of which I am a shareholder, did not win a $3 million Government contract''. That, Sir, is a total misrepresentation of the truth! Unfortunately, as I was not in my seat to confront her accusation, but in the House Library doing some research, I would like to use your medium to set the record straight.

As with any quote one chooses to repeat, it is important to do so within the context that the comments were made in the first place, so I need to relate the story as it started.

In October of 1999 the PLP Government hosted a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference at the Bermuda College. The ninth session of that conference concerned the topic of "Ethics and Accountability of Members of Parliament'' and during the question and answer period, Minister Webb rose and attacked the UBP record of issuing Government contracts. She went on to say that when one looked at the list of suppliers who had a Government contract it read like a who's who of the UBP. She then said that she intended to make it her duty to inspect every contract that her Ministry issues in future. (Now that is a concern!) Her comments insinuated that contracts were awarded unfairly to "UBP Government-connected'' businesses.

After the Minister made her accusations I confronted her privately during the coffee break taking issue with her comments.

I told the Minister that if she could prove that any of the contracts to which she referred were awarded "unfairly'' or "corruptly'' that she should expose the culprits and pursue the matter through the courts. I also pledged my support if she could prove any wrongdoings or improprieties because I abhor any unfair meddling and influence peddling at any level within Government.

I also took the Minister to task for NOT explaining to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association panelists that the UBP Government had instituted a tender and open bid policy on Government contracts.

By their very nature, tendering and open bid policies are designed to prevent any potential for political patronage, and to ensure that contracts are awarded fairly based on the substance of the bid rather than the person making the bid.

The Minister thus decided not to tell the whole story.

Finally, in capping off our conversation, I explained to the Minister that I could speak from personal experience about bidding on Government contracts as some nine months earlier my company had been unsuccessful in winning a PLP Government contract.

I believe that the Minister understood at the time that my comments were not meant to be a complaint but simply to illustrate a point. That point is that sometimes you are successful at winning contracts and sometimes you're not.

That is a fact of life. Being unsuccessful does not grant one a licence to make false accusations.

Unfortunately, Minister Webb chose to put a spin on my private remarks to her and has taken them out of context to score cheap political points and attack me personally. This letter to the Bermuda public and particularly the voters of Smith's North explains the "whole story''. It is also a response to Minister Webb's vicious attack, not only on my integrity and business ethics, but also on the many technical officers in the civil service who often decide which suppliers are awarded Government contracts.

In conclusion, it is important for the public to have confidence knowing that the Government of the day -- any Government of the day, that is -- will conduct the people's business in a fair and equitable manner, and likewise ensure that taxpayers' dollars receive value for money.

Not only is this important within the services that Government provides, but also with regards to the awarding of Government contracts.

What remains to be seen is whether the PLP Government keeps an open bid and tender policy in its granting of Government contracts.

It is likewise important that the underlying paperwork support the fact that contracts are awarded fairly and have met the requirements and specifications of the tender documents.

That will be the real test. And I can promise voters of this country that part of my job is to ensure that everyone in Bermuda has equal access to apply for Government work.

On a final note Mr. Editor, it must be said that a Government's responsibility to its people is to ensure the principles of "fairness'' and "opportunity for all'' are available throughout our community and certainly throughout Government.

Government, therefore, should set the example in promoting these principles.

By doing so, Government helps to deliver success to all people, provided those same people choose the values of self-sacrifice, dedication, and honesty to pursue their goals.

What should not matter is the colour of one's skin, or one's membership of a political party or any other group. A Government that follows these principles should have no fear of being transparent to the people whom they govern.

Making personal attacks and character assassinations is purely a manoeuvre to deflect debate on the real issue. It gets us nowhere and the sooner it stops the better for all concerned.

ALLAN D. MARSHALL MP -- UBP Smith's Parish ZFB show not balanced June 26, 2000 Dear Sir, I hope to give any viewers of Saturday's (June 24) "Fast Forward'' show and ZFB food for thought. The aforementioned is a religiously-oriented music show targeted at teenagers. Around 9 p.m. the youthful presenter began talking about abortion. Initially supportive she assured the viewer that teenage pregnancy is not unusual and that anyone in this predicament should not feel alone.

That was the end of the useful advice in my opinion. She then proceeded to suggest that an unborn foetus can feel if you "scrape'' or "suction'' its life away and not to consider abortion as the only option in an unwanted pregnancy.

Not scary enough, she then described a "post abortion depression'' and the increasingly harrowing symptoms that would be experienced in the following anniversaries.

The symptoms expanded from mere depression to suicidal tendencies.

This information was in no way balanced with any other advice which would have shown an attempt to make it slightly less biased. I think any responsible media presentation giving advice is severely negligent not providing all the facts and has an obligation to give a balanced view to the audience, especially such an influential and vulnerable one.

They are morally and ethically wrong to put such fear and horror into the minds of young people who would probably find the thought of having a baby just as depressing and potentially damaging.

Would they take responsibility for a woman who could not cope with the guilt they are dishing out? Suicide attempts because of teenage pregnancy is not unknown.

Do we really have to turn to chat shows such as "Oprah'' to give young our people the kind of advice that an allegedly "Christian'' show refuses to.

DONNA NICHOLSON Paget Customs nit-picking July 3, 2000 Dear Sir, I have just returned to Bermuda, and read with interest the comments of the Customs chief and his subordinates.

With respect to the audio-tapes that I have received for 30 years or so, they were originally approved as Continuing Medical Education when I first arrived in Bermuda. This certification was done, under the Aegis of the Late Dr.

Kenneth Robinson, and others in the Department of Education, as purely educational, and not deserving, of any duty.

In discussion with the Minister it was my impression, that he was not aware of this new policy, and he also had received his Engineering Continuing Education, by Audio-Journals, and would look into it. The current Chief Educational Officer Dr. Joseph Christopher, was also shown these tapes at the Arches, and he could not comprehend, any difference between an audio-journal, and a printed journal. Your respondents from Customs make a great to-do Re: The Harmonised Tariffs. I would make a to-do about consistency, in that education is education, and remind them that some tree paid the ultimate price for a printed journal and printed journals should also be taxed. At least tapes are easily re-cyclable, to keep costs to a minimum.

The question I would ask is where will it all end, and that this is just the thin edge of the sword. From now on all instructional tapes used by the Diabetic Association, and other Medical groups will have to be taxed if they are not printed. Instructional tapes used with home, vacuums, bread-makers, computers, power tools, and any area you can imagine, will have to be taxed.

In the Dialysis Unit Training for the Speciality of Hemodialysis, requires Audio-Visual, Education from Specialty Organisations abroad. There are no Certified Instructors in this area in Bermuda. These will have to be taxed. I receive periodically tapes from Drug Manufacturers in the complex Medications used in anti-Rejection Therapy, these are designed so that laymen can cope with a very complex area. All these any many other examples will have to be taxed. Where will it all end? This is nit-picking to the Nth. Degree.

I regret mentioning money as this is not a matter of money, however the question of $5.00 as a nominal charge for any blank tape is exorbitant, as any knowledgeable shopper knows that you can get a six-pack of Memorex from Sam's for $8.00.

As stated in my original letter to you I am not personally aware of any country that taxes Educational Instructional materials. I refuse to pay taxes on Educational materials and will cancel my subscriptions to both Audio Digest of Internal Medicine, and Accel the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. I will assure both organisations that the cancellations have nothing to do with the quality of their material, but rather with a Nit-Picking, Government Bureaucracy. I regret doing this as these tapes were the most convenient way to stay current.

I have not seen my original letter in publication, and I hope you can see fit to at least include this one. The original really expressed my feeling in the strongest possible way.

BERESFORD M. SWAN M.D.

City of Hamilton