The statement that The Bermuda Telephone Company should have some competition is a major understatement! I reported my telephone out of service on Thursday, April 12, 2001 and was told that it would take 12 working days before they would get to me. I spoke to another service agent one week later and was told it would take twelve working days to get to me, so if I find myself broke or sick on the end of the month is that a justifiable excuse for not paying the late charge.

I have been a good customer for over 25 years, and even the information that I needed by telephone in working order in order to be accessible to my seriously ill mother made no impression on them at all. It was necessary for me to forward any calls to my cellular phone, which I rarely use, will Telco be offering me some form of compensation toward, what will be for me, an unusually high cellular bill? Will there automatically be a discount on my monthly service charges, and last but not least, will this result in a drop in the suspiciously high amount of overcalls charged on my bill every month. This is something that I noticed several months ago, and have been making a note of my calls ever since, I know for a fact that I rarely use my telephone to make calls, so this is not something that I will just accept. I will be keeping a close eye on my telephone bill from now on! SEEING CLEARLY IN BDA Pembroke Show gangsters reality April 28, 2001 Dear Sir, Recently an article was published in The Times that described how North London youth from Camden were to be taken to inner city boroughs of New York City to speak to members of "New York's finest''. This was being done to show the selected White and Asian youth about tolerance and living in harmony with one another.

As it happens there is a bitter "race war'' taking place in Camden between White and Asian youth, which sees fourteen and fifteen year old youths being stabbed on a weekly basis. The surroundings in which they live are, at best, barely above what many would consider the poverty line.

Meanwhile, the NYPD have managed to control gang violence in certain areas of New York and are now involved in teaching inner city youth about respect for one another. Camden Council felt that perhaps it would open up the eyes of their youth to see racial harmony in action in a major US city.

I have brought this to your attention Mr. Editor with the hope that your readers will take this idea to heart, especially members of the Government.

Although Bermuda's recent "gang violence'' stemmed from "territorial disputes'' rather than racial intolerance, some of the reasons for the violence are still the same. One reason given by Camden Council for the violence was that of general boredom, a reason I suspect that is similar to the Bermuda gang violence.

I suggest that some of Bermuda's self-styled "gangsters'' be sent to North London, or London's East End to spend a week in a Council estate to learn what true depravity and poverty is about. Alternatively why not send a "gangster'' into the gangland suburbs of L.A. with a local social worker? It is high time that some of our so-called "disenchanted youth'' are given a perspective of the outside world rather than living in the cocoon of safety in Bermuda and fantasising about the warped glamour of gangster life.

There is nothing naive about this idea. Similar schemes have been tried and tested in London and elsewhere. In L.A. County convicted drunk drivers are taken to the morgue to look at crash victims and watch an autopsy being performed. Perhaps the Government could re-direct some of its recently increased travel budget to Social Service specifically for such a project. I have a feeling that some of our more out-spoken magistrates would agree.

I would personally like to see some of our youth wide-eyed in genuine shock as they walk in the filth of an un-kept London Council housing estate or drug-infested housing project in Washington D.C. Maybe then our Bermudian "gangsters'' will realise just how lucky they are to be living in Bermuda. I would even go so far as to say they will be disenchanted no more.

A BERMUDIAN OVERSEAS London, England RSC is not soft on drugs April 20, 2001 The following was sent to Dr. Ewart Brown, JP, MP, Minister of Transport and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Minister A number of persons in the community have asked me if the Road Safety Council has gone soft on impaired driving. They are wondering why the RSC did not speak out against the comments made by the Hon. Delaey Robinson, JP, MP. I have tried my best to assure all persons who have directed such inquiries to me that the RSC maintained its tough stance against driving under the influence. I've given my personal assurances that with both yourself and the present chairman of the RSC being physicians, you would both be ideally qualified to offer further clarification on the use of marijuana during driving, and, to state the RSC's current position.

DELCINA R. BEAN-BURROWS former RSC Chairman St. George's Paper needs more colour April 19, 2001 Dear Sir, If people of Bermuda need to look at their Island as being colourful & filled with colour then, our newspapers (whether they be NIE, or any other part) need to have colour photos.

KIERON SMITH Pembroke East Editor's Note: Colour photographs have one other advantage over black and white pictures; they are, by definition, more accurate and The Royal Gazette is committed to using colour on more pages as our press capacity permits. We hope, over the next few months, to publish more pages in colour.

Support Wingate on trees April 20, 2001.

Dear Sir, Please allow me space to echo the sentiments of David Wingate in your newspaper of April 18, concerning the desecration of plant material that is occurring along our roads. There seems to be no consistency in the treatment of the hedges and trees -- leaving some areas in a most reasonable state and totally butchering others. The people doing the work do not have the foggiest idea how to go about pruning with any integrity.

Minister Scott's comment that home owners can "do it yourself'' if you are unhappy with the results is a bit after the fact. Too bad, too late! The arrogance of the statement is appalling. Is this just another look at our Government and it's misdirected approach to the New Bermuda? From my own experience I offer a warning to those with any amount of road frontage. Do not get too complacent when the crew comes along first sweeps the road and does minimal but sufficient pruning. They are to be followed by the devastation crew, with their ladders, saws and knives. They leave destruction in their path as well as a good deal of plant material to die and look messy.

I would ask the Ministry to please get assistance from the Department of Agriculture. What is happening is a crime. The poor poinciana at Pitt's Bay and Serpentine roads has been treated with such a lack of integrity that it probably will never recover. If it does sprout out it will be right at eye level and cause a worse problem. Tree pruning is something that must be dealt with by people who know about trees and their growing habits. What is happening now is horrifying. Heaven forbid the state of our roads if all large trees are treated with such abandon. I am sure the poor Palmettos on the approach to McGall's Hill are trembling as the destroyers get closer and closer.

There needs to be a great deal more sensitivity to this business of pruning along our roads. We are a beautiful but struggling tourist destination and first impressions are very important. As an environmentally conscious and plant loving Bermudian, I urge the Minister to take a deep breath and start again.

Along with many others, I will be watching for positive results. They are needed quickly.

SUSAN I. CURTIS Hamilton Parish Changes not part of election April 23, 2001 Dear Sir, Jennifer Smith in a statement "expressed surprise that persons in Bermuda are preparing to contest a decision that has not yet been determined''.

The FCO and the Governor have clearly indicated that they will not contest constitutional change nor would they support a call for a referendum, although they counter this by claiming that no decisions have been made.

We have enough evidence now of the autocratic nature of The Premier and her government and it is never too early to protest policies that were never voted for at the last election.

What better time to contest a decision than before it becomes fact. To paraphrase Rolfe Commissiong, I say to Warren Cabral, "you go bye''.

PHIL CRACKNELL St. George's