April 3, 2002

Dear Sir,

Caricom! I neither endorse nor negate as to whether my Island should embrace Caricom. I simply have insufficient information. Some 50 years ago, the West Indies Federation had problems as to what to do as to Small Island - Big Island linkage. Small Island Bermuda's location is too often mistaken. To illustrate: Some years back, I was at JFK. A West Indian porter was ceaselessly insisting to North Atlantic Bermuda-born myself that Bermuda was in the West Indies. Having returned from one of my Educational Congresses, a friend, visiting the Bahamas, wrote that he would step to Bermuda. I picked up a flight off Cape Hatteras' map, less than two hours flight time here from New York, circled it, depicting my Island's actual exact location for his enlightenment. I have often wondered whether Bermuda-paid travel agents really emphasise our exact location and quick travel time and as to who checks that out versus the Islands 1,000 miles to the South. Specifically, the naming of Caricom as The Caricom Association - if with Bermuda joining, how can we escape the intending travelling public, failing to know where Bermuda is really located making it certain that they actually chose us in the North Atlantic? To me alarm bells are ringing loud.

CECILE MUSSON SMITH

Devonshire