October 24, 2002

Dear Sir,

I had the pleasure of visiting Bermuda for a boarding school fair last week. It was my first trip to the Island.

I have raved about Bermuda since returning to the States. Everyone I met, from airport personnel and taxi drivers to shop clerks and hotel staff members, was incredibly kind. The Island exceeded my expectations. Its cleanliness, efficiency, and beauty were startling. I had been told that it would be a wonderful destination. It was that and more.

I read a copy of The Royal Gazette each day. It was interesting to see that your Island suffers from many of the same maladies as our cities and states, including teacher strikes, pollution from cars, bad traffic, expensive housing, drug abuse and more. A visitor such as myself might not realise these things if we did not read your paper and learn of the challenges you face now and in the coming years.

Bermuda is making a wise investment by working to attract more visitors from the United States and Canada. Tens of thousands of people would love to visit your small piece of paradise in the middle of crystal clear water. I hope the Government and private industry will work to maintain high standards for cleanliness and safety. The financial cost of visiting Bermuda is tremendous. The experience must be worth that cost. In my case, it most certainly justified the enormous price!

I urge the people of Bermuda to realise what a wonderful place you have and to never let it deteriorate. I hope to return soon and often!

COLIN DUNNIGAN

Christ School

Asheville, North Carolina