With reference to the Wor. Edward King sending teenagers to jail, I thought, this is what the public had been complaining about for years. They wanted the Magistrates, to start to clamp down on the youth today, and clean up the mess the Country is presently in.

The owner/operator (complainant) objected to the Magistrate's decision. I am confused. Why did she bother to report the incident to the Police in the first place, especially if she was going to take sides with the criminals? I remember the drug bust on Broome Street. One of the drug-pushers was arrested and sent to prison. That was his first offence also. Yet he was out there in the streets selling drugs to your children and family members.

As far as I am concerned, I felt Mr. King was too soft.

In other countries around the world, when you are caught stealing, they chop off your hand.

OBSERVER Southampton Welcome to the club July 5, 1999 Dear Sir, "Sad Bermudian'' ( Royal Gazette , July 5) has been verbally abused in racial terms a number of times recently. She is not certain how much more she can stand. She certainly lacks stamina. Many of us who are black have had to deal with the much more serious issues of racial exploitation and economic exclusion for decades or all of our lives. We have had to keep going even when we thought that we couldn't stand any more.

She blames the PLP for the conduct of these men. Did she think that they had a magic wand to eradicate overnight both the racism of centuries and its long term impact, whether it is the hostility, or the economic disparity? In all likelihood the anger and hostility of some black folks will continue to express itself as long as the economic disparity between the two communities is so evident and so enormous.

She should know the prevailing advice given to victims of racial indignities is not to be "bitter'' and to "forgive'' the perpetrators. She might try that. She says that there is no point in complaining to the HRC. Perhaps she is right. Over the years I have complained to the HRC several times over the more serious issues of being denied employment. It never did any good. I never got any satisfaction. Does she have any evidence? Does she have any witnesses? Was it a public statement or private conversation? Can she be specific about the culprit? If "no'' is the answer to any of those questions it probably would be pointless to complain to the HRC. If the answer is "yes'' than she should do what many black folks have to do. Keep struggling despite the hostile environment.

Of course she might take the advice of the UBP Parliamentarians and "stop playing the race card'' despite the deep divide between our two communities, which even your Editorials have noted recently.

EVA N. HODGSON Hamilton Parish Why the Portuguese came August 3, 1999 Dear Sir, On July 16, 1999 in the Bermuda Sun, Page 7, "Bermuda's New Role Models Are Being Watched'' by Eva Hodgson, she writes with a false tongue. Ms Hodgson states Portuguese were brought to Bermuda by the then-Governor because he did wish to employ newly-freed slaves. This couldn't be further from the truth.

The Portuguese in fact were brought to Bermuda for the same reason they still are today; for their skill and willing to work hard.

So in future, Dr. Hodgson, perhaps before stating such prejudices you should endeavour to secure true information on such topics.

FROM THE ROCK City of Hamilton Increase the speed limit July 27, 1999 Dear Sir, Roger Crombie (and many others on this Island) has completely missed the logic behind increasing Bermuda's speed limit. There are excellent reasons for changing the speed limit, and it would merely acknowledge the situation that currently exists today.

Firstly, the law was put in place when cars were much less responsive. These days they have better steering, better brakes and better protection for passengers and driver, and therefore a speed limit of 35 kph is unnecessary.

In order to demonstrate this, the RSC should look at the accident statistics of the last few years and see whether a speed of say 45 kph was a factor in any accident resulting in an injury. I very much doubt it. I suspect that almost 100 percent of accidents happen at much higher speeds. Secondly, the current speed limit is unenforceable, a fact that has been demonstrated by the recent "go slow'' days sponsored by the Road Traffic Safety Council (RTSC).

Despite extensive encouragement to travel at the speed limit, and threats of Police action if you exceeded it, the general public did not, in fact, adhere to it.

There is no reason why raising the speed limit to say 25 kph would make the roads any more dangerous. In fact there is no reason why the current situation should change at all! Why should Police not continue to ticket drivers doing 55 kph or higher? This is obviously a level that is enforceable, so they should continue to do so. In fact the current levels of penalties need not change either, and the crowd outside the Magistrates' Court need not change.

As I said, raising the speed limit will merely acknowledge the situation as it exists today.

Finally, the most compelling reason for changing the speed limit: It would stop making lawbreakers of us all! I doubt very much that Roger Crombie (or any member of the government, or the RTSC) consistently travels at the speed limit! Having a speed limit that is impractical means the entire population is breaking the law. This consistent and widespread disregard for the law sends a terrible message to the population, particularly young people. They see that this law is totally disregarded by the entire population, therefore why should they think that any other law is more important? Please, increase the speed limit to something that we can actually adhere to and therefore allow us to demonstrate a respect for all of Bermuda's laws! JUDITH LANDSBERG Southampton Set the right example July 26, 1999 Dear Sir, Today we read that David Allen calls for the public's help in fighting crime against tourists -- which he describes as a dagger at the heart of the country's economic life.

May I respectfully suggest that he set an example for others in this country who look to him and his party colleagues as leaders.

I was appalled to hear an extract of Friday's parliamentary "debate'' broadcast on Saturday morning, in which Mr. Allen was literally screaming out bigotry with respect to the United Kingdom, while over-simplifying a problem with respect to IATA regulations and which airlines are allowed to operate into the Island.

In shrill tones he maintained that the UK Government was the reason why he was unable to get charters operated by a Mexican airline into Bermuda, and that if Bermuda were free of its colonial shackles, she would be free to do as she pleases. Not so, and he knows that! (If he doesn't, he should grow up!) Even an independent New Bermuda would face enormous difficulties with the regular American carriers threatening to pull out over such deals with third countries running links between their main hub cities (in this case Philadelphia) and Bermuda. Mr. Allen and his colleagues use every opportunity to play to the radio gallery.

As for the Minister in the background, giving off the repeated chorus refrain of "Can't trust 'em... Can't trust em'' every time Mr. Allen spoke of negotiating with the UK, I just wonder if our Human Rights Commission would take a complaint against the pair of them seriously. After all, there are a great many of us with British ties who are part of Bermuda's fabric, and continue to work hard for Bermuda daily.

What would happen if the discussion involved Jamaica or an African country, and Parliamentarians were to be heard chanting "Can't trust em'' in the background? The consequences would no doubt make the Shoaf affair look like a hiccup.

Those that have set themselves up as leaders of this country have a responsibility to demonstrate fairness and respect for all nationalities, otherwise how can they be surprised when the social outcasts and petty criminals of this country adopt their prejudices, and act them out on the streets? It starts at the top.

RECORDED ON TAPE City of Hamilton Who gets a passport? July 20, 1999 Dear Sir, Mr. Phil Perinchief and others have mooted that status Bermudians who have a second passport should not vote on certain issues.

My research shows perhaps as many as 10,000 black Bermudians, and a considerable number of white Bermudians, could get a passport from Turks & Caicos, Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica and of course St. Kitts and Nevis. Most, if not all, of their islands will give a passport if one grandparent was born in the country. If this is the case, I should correct my estimate to 20,000 for St. Kitts and Nevis alone. Does the St. Kitts Club Parliamentry membership have a comment? SANDERS FRITH BROWN Warwick