September 7, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. My son and daughter-in-law are living in Bermuda and it has been a heart-wrenching few days. Thank you God for keeping them safe, and to the foresight of all your Bermudian ancestors in building the homes as strong and safe as they are. I have seen the devastating damage in all the articles (at www.theroyalgazette.com) and my heart goes out to each and every person on your beautiful Island home.

Bermuda will be beautiful once again, I have seen this beauty in the hearts and faces of so many of the Bermudian people I have met. This is where the beauty is and always will be.

Blessings to you all.

PIERRE POMMAINVILLE

Hamilton, Canada

September 7, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am so sorry to see what devastation Bermuda has just suffered! I have just read the articles on www.theroyalgazette.com about Hurricane Fabian and saw the photos of the awful damage done to one of the most beautiful places in the world. I am deeply saddened to know that the wonderful people of Bermuda have had to suffer such horrible insults from Mother Nature.

I have been to your lovely country several times and my parents used to go to Bermuda frequently in their youth. We know what a paradise your Island is and how well you treat we American visitors.

I have been to many of the gorgeous Caribbean islands and I know personally why Bermuda still ranks at the top of the list of vacation destinations.

Please accept the love and support from so many of us Americans who have enjoyed Bermuda's countless pleasures and beauty in the past and look forward to returning soon to experience her charms again. We know that rebuilding will take time and money and much devotion, but we also know what spirit the Bermudians have and how much love and pride they share for their unique home.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Our sympathy goes to all those who lost loved ones to the storm's fury.

I know that Bermuda will fully recover and shine once again, and I look forward to seeing the restored Bermuda soon. May God be with you all.

PENNY MAROLDO

Ohio

September 8, 2003

Dear Sir,

My wife, Gayle, sons Chris and Tom and myself want to send a note to all the residents of Bermuda to let you know our prayers and thoughts are with you all. Having left paradise nine months ago, we feel a strong association with all of you and only wish we were there to help you rebuild.

And thank you for the great coverage on your web site.

PHIL BIELUCH

Formerly 58 Harbour Road, Warwick

Avon, Connecticut

September 8, 2003

Dear Sir,

According to your paper and numerous other sources, Hurricane Fabian was the worst hurricane to hit Bermuda in 50 years. Fifty years!

We have had numerous other (smaller) hurricanes in that time. It seems to me that whenever we have a hurricane, or even moderately high winds, we lose power.

We are sent back 100 years in time whenever the power goes out for an extended period. During these 50 years, BELCO has done nothing to change this situation. They talked about it in the early 60s, but nothing has happened yet. What am I talking about? PUTTING THE CABLE UNDERGROUND - ALL OF THEM.

BELCO is talking about weeks to restore power to some areas - this is unacceptable in this day and age. Power interruptions would have been minimal to non-existent with buried cables.

I've heard all the sob stores about the cost, amount of time, etc. Nonsense.

It's all about your bottom line and how much your shareholders can take home at the end of the year. I suggest you get on with what needs to be done or resign and let some young, forward thinking individual, who is not scared of criticism, take over.

We need to get our power lines out of the trees and into the ground. This idea was brought up in the 60s and the project could have been long finished by now.

I am sick of lugging water, eating out of a can, sponge-bathing in cold water, melting in the heat, staring at the walls and reading by candle or torch light.

As long as BELCO remains as it is, Bermuda will always be a third-world country. Take your head out of the sand and put your cables in it.

Follow the rest of the world. Most of them have gone underground.

REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS

To those on the Island of Bermuda:

I just wanted to say how sorry I am when about the damage created by Hurricane Fabian. My very best wishes are with you for your speedy recovery and my sympathy to the family and friends of those who were lost in the storm.

I was following the hurricane path very closely and I was very worried about your lovely Island and its wonderful people. I have vacationed in Bermuda for a week in July for the past five years.

I definitely will return next July. You have a beautiful Island and I know that in not much time it will look as pretty as ever.

With best wishes,

Martha Tarafa

Falmouth

MA, USA

It's a simple rule...

September 9, 2003

Dear Sir,

I have been dismayed to discover the inability of Bermudians to navigate through intersections where traffic lights are not functioning.

Why is it that Bermuda motorists cannot obey the simple rule that intersections with nonfunctioning traffic lights are treated as an all-ways stop, where all approaching vehicles stop and the first to arrive then proceeds through the intersection?

If motorists from all directions keep driving through intersections like they have the right of way, as I have observed several times over the past several days, then we are sure to see some very serious accidents if not motor vehicle deaths.

Perhaps The Royal Gazette can publish a reminder to motorists of how they should drive through intersections with downed traffic lights?

JASON BENEVIDES

Pembroke

Dreaming of taxi service

August 20, 2003

Dear Sir,

I would like to share my experiences with the 'wonderful' taxi service in Bermuda.

Rule 1: Taxis don't come unless there is a decent fare involved for the driver (from town to Dockyard or St. George's.)

Rule 2: You will never get a cab from your home in Devonshire to town or to the hospital for that matter. Why? Because it's right around the corner!

Over the past three years I have called and pre-booked taxis for pickups sometimes hours in advance or a day in advance for things like Christmas parties or airport trips. Time and time again I have waited and they have never shown up.

Out comes the fancy hair do, hike up the frock and get on the bike to turn up at your Christmas party an hour later with helmet head and a snag in your nylons. Being the responsible person, take a taxi home, usually easy to find near a hotel or in town, but good luck trying to get one to come and collect you the following day so you can go pick-up your bike!

Yesterday I had visitors arrive. Much to my dismay, I have had to tell them about the unreliable taxi service in Bermuda. Not only is it unreliable, the ladies who answer the phone couldn't possibly get any ruder?

What an awakening to my visitors today as they called for a taxi, were told it would be there in ten minutes and 35 minutes later they were still sitting outside down the street waiting for the taxi. I called the taxi company back and was barked at by the lady on the other end.

Certainly we want the visitors to the Island to get around with ease? I did suggest that they take a bus into town (they needed to get to the terminal to buy tickets) however after calling the bus company the man advised that you had to have exact change in coins only to get on the bus. That is $6 in coins, now really, who carries that around. No bills allowed.

There are constant complaints and discussions surrounding tourist on bikes. Really, what other option do they have? I will now have to rent my 60-years-old parents bikes and cross my fingers that they won't kill themselves.

Tonight I will cancel my reservations in town for dinner as I don't want to have to sit and wait to see if the taxi show up or not. Do the taxi drivers and companies realise that not only have they ruined my day several times over, ruined my Christmas parties, made me panic stricken when I am trying to get to the airport, left a bad taste in several tourists mouths, but they are also taking away from the industry as a whole.

To the owner of the bowling alley in St. David's, I enjoyed my night bowling at your alleys and thank you for the ride to the Double Dip when we were told that no taxi would come to get us up that far.

I won't be coming back to your venue because of the lack of taxi service. Perhaps you should call the restaurant where I am cancelling my reservation and talk about the impact of the horrible taxi service on this Island.

And if you think GPS is going to make it better, keeping dreaming!

FED UP IN DEVONSHIRE

Drastic measures

August 30, 2003

Dear Sir,

Congratulations St. George's! We have been trying to think of ways to get the police OUT of the stations and onto the streets.

Now, I'll admit that blocking up the sewers was a bit drastic, but, hey, it worked. But tell me, once you got them up off their, er-chairs, and out in the street, did they go do Police jobs like looking for speeders or walking the street? Or did they sit on their, er-steps and whine and say 'that's' not my job!

I think the only way to get Police up off their, er-chairs and out on the streets to do their job is to lock them out of the stations. We don't need more stations for them to hide in!

Good try, St. George's.

INSPECTOR MORSE

St. George's