There is something fundamentally wrong with a country that has a foreigner as head of its Police, head of its Regiment and now it looks like, head of the Civil Service! What is left for the locals to head Mr. Editor and what was the point of the General Election? DR. CLARK GODWIN City of Hamilton Going electric February 22, 1999 Dear Sir, I happen to know the electric car system very well and, as a businessman, when we decided to come live on the Island five years ago, I thought Bermuda was the ideal place to develop it. So I spoke to Sir John Swan who was Premier at the time. He was interested...for about ten minutes. It is interesting to hear that the idea could now be taken seriously as an alternative to petrol-powered vehicles.

In the meantime, I have been keeping up to date about it for a personal curiosity. I am still convinced that Bermuda, because of its size among other reasons, is the ideal place to go electric. The vehicle's technologies available today are far more advanced then they were four years ago. This because the workshops developing the commercial systems, since just under a decade, make remarkable progress. I have tried several vehicles in France near my home town Nantes which uses already quite a large fleet of EPV for Government uses; among them the Post Office, France Telecom, and for purposes that do not necessitate going too far out of city limits. A few elderly people have found the idea attractive to move around their homes otherwise they use trains and planes.

EPVs are wonderful if one uses them in perfect knowledge of their limitations.

Electricity costs as much as how far one goes. Electricity is not cheap in Bermuda. Most EPV average range is about 80 kilometres. Did you know that when an EPV goes downhill it generates its own power? The batteries, which have to be changed, cost as much as the vehicle. the vehicles usually have a light structure constructed with synthetic fibres and resins. Maintenance costs are not lower then other vehicles. The main advantage is: no noise, no pollution but one still has to produce the electricity with ... petrol? Nuclear? The prices in Europe for EPV go from $18,000 up. Some companies also produce electric scooters, mini vans and light trucks. Going electric also means constructing a huge structure of stations, aside from homes, where one can "refill''. The "refill'' process takes a long while! My advice is to think carefully about the "Big Picture''. The European systems are far more advanced than the Americans, which for most of them are alternatively working with gas. In America, priorities are a little different; oil is cheap on the market and the distances are longer. It's a matter of economics. For Bermuda, the advantage is certainly promotional and what a great thing to do "Ride electric while on holiday''. Also making sure that all vehicles can plug in anywhere. In California it's a problem! I am very interested to proceed with one's speech.

THIERRY CABOT St. George's Renewed interest February 15, 1999 Dear Sir, Thank you for publishing my letter dated January 28, 1999 inviting those with an interest in reforming the Bermuda Amateur Lobster Catchers Association (BALCA) to kindly contact me.

As a consequence of that letter I am pleased to advise that there is indeed strong interest in reforming BALCA and especially with a view to constructively contributing to Government's Green Paper on the Fishery now being drafted. To this end there would seem to be already formed an opposing lobby to amateur divers now seeking to put a cap on the number of divers able to be licensed, at which time there is evidently also a possibility of discriminating against non-Bermudian divers in the grant of such licenses.

In view of the above, therefore I must re-emphasise that only through a recognised organisation comprising a strongly focused group of amateur lobster divers are our views likely to be listened to by a Government now evidently very keen to give special recognition to a very specific commercial sector of the fishery. As a consequence, if any of your readers who are licensed amateur divers believe that the criteria should simply be based upon the ability of the lobster fishery to adequately sustain the catch of about 500 such divers equating with only one tenth of that instead reportedly harvested by 20 commercial fishermen (always ignoring the enormous impact of illegal traps now also reportedly increasing at such a rate that even whales are evidently at risk of being caught in their myriad of ropes while migrating past Bermuda), then they are urged to rejoin BALCA, c/o PO Box HM 529, Hamilton HM CX (membership fee only $5). Incidentally, the reason why the ridiculously high annual licensing fee of $120 decreased to $100 this year was solely because of sustained lobbying by previous members of BALCA's committee, and we have not given up on seeking yet further reductions. To this end a newsletter on this and other issues is intended to be sent out to all members early in March.

TED GAUNTLETT BALCA Past President Mother needs help February 20, 1999 Dear Sir, I`m writing with hope that someone will be able to help or suggest a solution to a very confusing stressful problem. My status is single parent -- employed sometimes till 8 p.m.

My seven-year-old daughter is a very intelligent, motivated, enthusiastic little angel. She loves experiments, art, music, reading, math projects (everything).

The problem is, and I'm not knocking her Government school, she feels unchallenged, her class mates are in a playful mode, which is gradually showing in her personality. There aren't any kids her age in the neighbourhood and Nickelodeon, her favourite channel is no longer stimulating. I can't afford private school or private anything. Her daddy has no time for her, and other than my encouraging and loving her, I feel there has to be an opportunity out there for her. If anyone is willing to invest educational inspirational fun loving time with a sweet seven year old, we are asking for a chance at a piece of the good life, not a hand out. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

CONCERNED MOM Editor's Note: Anyone who can help should contact the Editor at 295-5881.

`Society must be cautious' February 8, 1999 The following letter was sent to Mr. Steve Thompson of Community Against Radioactive Emissions and copied to The Royal Gazette.

*** Dear Sir, This letter is in regard to the potential health hazards of cellular phone towers. I am the former Dean of the School of Public Health at the University at Albany, State University of New York, and am now a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Toxicology and have for many years been involved in investigation of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields.

There is a substantial body of scientific evidence showing that the electromagnetic fields coming from power lines and electrical appliances, which in the US are at a frequency of 60 Hz, pose an elevated risk of cancer to children and to adults. While the degree of hazard is still a matter of controversy, in my judgment the evidence that there is an increased risk of cancer among highly exposed persons is very strong. There has not been very much attention to the higher frequencies of electromagnetic fields that are used in cellular phones, but in general these frequencies are of higher energy levels, and on that basis one might expect that they would be more hazardous.

Unfortunately, there has been almost no careful investigation of human health effects from cellular phone frequencies (usually referred to as radio frequencies, RF), although clearly there is significant exposure to individuals who are in close proximity to cellular towers, or who use cellular phones that contain the transmitter in the headset. Let me summarise the little information that is available. There are four reports from human populations. Robinette et al. (1980) investigated morbidity and mortality of US navy personnel exposed to radar, and Lilienfeld et al, (1978) looked at similar indicators in occupants of the US Embassy building in Moscow, which was exposed to RF radiation. Neither reported any change in morbidity or mortality. However, Milham (1982) and Coleman et al. (1983) have reported elevations in leukaemia incidence among ham radio operators and electricians.

There are other studies which also report positive associations between RF exposure and cancer (Milham, 1985; 1988a and b; Smigielski et al., 1988, all referenced in Elder, 1994). All of these studies lack good dosimetry with regard to levels of exposure.

In my view, these studies of human exposure to RF fields and cancer are grossly inadequate evidence to conclude that RF radiation is not hazardous to humans. In fact, I would be inclined to draw the opposite conclusions, although it must be recognised that ham radio operators and electricians are exposed to both 60 Hz and RF fields, and it is not possible in these studies to distinguish which is correlated with the elevated incidence of leukaemia. I conclude that at present there is neither adequate evidence to conclude that exposure to RF radiation is "safe,'' or is hazardous. I emphasise to human health, but there is certainly reason to be cautious since, if anything, the majority of the studies are suggestive of an association between exposure and cancer.

The recent research report from Australia, showing that digital mobile phone radiation boosts cancer rates in mice, is particular important in this regard.

This observation, made in the laboratory of a sceptic, provides much additional support for concern about exposure to these forms of electromagnetic radiation.

In my opinion it is totally irresponsible to position a cellular antenna near a site where young children spend significant periods of time. While I am not saying that the association between these exposures and childhood cancer is proven beyond any shadow of doubt, I do see the evidence to be suggestive.

When children's health is concerned, I strongly feel that our society must be cautious so as not to increase the chances of their developing cancer or other health effects.

Thank you for your attention.

DAVID O. CARPENTER, MD Professor State University of New York at Albany