Please allow me space to express my disappointment on a few issues.

Firstly, Mr. Transport Minister, I am very disappointed in your behaviour pertaining to the taxi industry. It has been a motto of the PLP that this party was a people party. Mr. Minister, did not the people speak (TAXI DRIVERS) on this issue? I believe they did, but instead you and your party allowed a bill to be passed against the people. It is clear only one funeral director was in support of this, yet you (PLP) pushed it through.

Secondly, Mr. Minister, I have my reservations concerning the fast ferries. I did witness the fast ferries on the 7 p.m. newscast, however Mr. Minister, it is my understanding that our fast ferries will not be as large. Mr. Minister I have heard about the wake of the ferry but not about the speed it will be doing on Bermuda's waters. Dr. Brown, people also get killed on the water.

Will the pilots be trained to drive the fast ferries? Lastly, Mr. Minister, I have voted PLP all my voting life, please do not make me second guess my vote.

FRUSTRATED AMBASSADOR'S DAUGHTER Warwick Man without a country August 9, 1999 Dear Sir, I hope you can find some place to publish my letter. As everyone knows that Bermuda has a new government and they have been doing a well-done job but I, as a foreigner cannot be very safe here in Bermuda. There have been a lot of rumours that this new Government will kick out a lot of foreigners but what scares me is, when? I, a 17-year-old Portuguese, have been here ten years of my life. I attended school here in Bermuda and now, I can only write and read English. So now that I'm 17 and just finished school I can't do anything. No, one wants to hire me because I'm a non-Bermudian. So what I want to ask is what I am I suppose to do. If I get kicked off the Island then I would have to start all over.

Many Bermudians don't like foreigners here in Bermuda but they must understand that foreigners here in Bermuda help Bermuda to be the place it is today. I'm not saying that Bermudians can't do it but it's just there are much more jobs than Bermudians. Also I think that Bermuda should be proud that many races live here in Bermuda but races like the Portuguese do a lot of labour work and while the English and Americans take the high class jobs which also pay well.

Then I know what you might be saying if the Portuguese stayed in school a little longer they could have nice jobs but that's the problem. Many Portuguese that live in Bermuda come from very poor families. Families who have a lot of children and then they are forced to quit school and start working to earn a little money to support the family.

Since the new Government came in I heard that the Government did not want people to stay here very long but that's the case. I want the Immigration Department to know this. When they bring people from away then they should only bring people who do not have a family because before we know they bring their family here and then look for housing, get cars, bikes and then when you see their family are putting in work permits to work. Now myself who has been here for ten years, I, like many Bermudians, have a dream to be someone in life, because I know how hard my father works and how little he makes. He comes home and pays two weeks of work for rent and there are many more expenses. That's the problem, is there anyone out there that can say that working as a landscaper is easy because it is not.

I want to be honest. We as foreigners here don't make as much many as we used to. My father has to work two full weeks just to pay for rent and he also has to take a lot out for food and other bills. So that does not leave us with a lot of money to save. I always loved being here in Bermuda but if I had a choice I would love to be still here forever because I have been here too long to go back and start over. Instead of the Government and employers looking for people from away, use the ones that already live here because soon there will be no place to move there are too much people living here already. Well, I just want the Department of Immigration to understand that I have to make a lot of sacrifices to live away from my loved ones so that we can save a little. Ms Paula Cox, I hope you can understand what I think about every night. So please do not ignore this letter. It is not just me it's a lot of young teens who live here. All I can do is ask you for your help, Please help! A FOREIGNER Devonshire Unfair to Jamaicans August 9, 1999 Dear Sir, I am not one to get caught up in the daily wrangling of your editorials.

However, I feel compelled as a law-abiding Jamaican living in Bermuda to respond to the letter written by Quarantine calling for the total ban on Jamaicans entering Bermuda.

First of all, Quarantine, I find it appalling that you are so eager to condemn an entire nation based on the actions of a few. For your information, Quarantine, we Jamaicans are a friendly and law-abiding people. Unfortunately we do, like any other country, (Bermuda included) have our share of social problems. So please Quarantine don't be so hasty to judge us.

Second, Quarantine, you mentioned that most of Jamaica's hard currency is drug related. It is obvious that you have no idea about our economy. Let me enlighten you by letting you know that we do not rely on drug money for our economy. In fact most of our hard currency is generated by the 1 million tourists who visited our shores last year (not bad for a lawless country).

Along with tourism, we have a vibrant bauxite and agricultural industry. Did I mention we produce one of the best tasting coffees in the world (but you would not know this since you seem to despise everything Jamaican)? So you see Quarantine, your "expert'' opinion on the Jamaican economy is totally wrong.

I admit that we have a social problem that is drug related. However our problems are not unique. Every country have their drug problem. To suggest that there is any link between Jamaica's problems and that of Bermuda's is utterly ridiculous. However Quarantine, if you ever have the time I could enlighten you as to the real cause of Bermuda's present social problems (maybe you already know but are just looking for a scapegoat).

Quarantine, by suggesting that Jamaicans are responsible for Bermuda's crime wave is an insult to Bermudians themselves. Are you suggesting that young Bermudians are not capable of making their own decisions? Are you suggesting that young Bermudians are easily influenced? Are you suggesting that Jamaicans have a hold on the mindset of young Bermudians? Be careful of what you are implying Quarantine.

Remember Quarantine, we do not live in a perfect society. All countries have their share of social problems. Please don't be so hasty to single out one people. Take some time to study your history and you will see the great contribution of Jamaicans to Bermuda's growth and prosperity. While you are doing this, Quarantine, take a closer look around you and you will see there are other nationalities here that pose a greater threat to Bermuda and Bermudians (yourself included) than us Jamaicans.

Since I am not living in a tent, dealing drugs, or working illegally, I will remove myself from behind the thick curtain and sign my real name as...

ROWAN RAMOTAR Warwick Canada stops kidnapping August 13, 1999 Dear Sir, This is an open letter to Carolyn Davis regarding her letter to The Royal Gazette on August 12.

Dear Ms Davis, I was sorry to read of your trials with the Canadian Immigration Department last month. There may be some matters which you were not aware of that determined your reception.

Canadian Immigration is very aware of the problem of kidnapped children, which usually involve family break-up and custody questions. In order to ensure that children entering and leaving the country are doing so with the full knowledge of the child's legal custodian, Immigration officials are very careful to demand and inspect the documentation accompanying every child. If proper documentation is not produced they must satisfy themselves that the child is entering the country in the full knowledge of its legal custodian. I appreciate you were in a hurry to get to the hospital, but you must understand that Immigration Officials have heard many desperate stories. The absence of proper documentation delayed your smooth process through Immigration, not inconsiderate officers.

You end your tale stating that Canadians have enjoyed the privilege of being welcome to visit or work in Bermuda for many years. As expat Canadians, I can assure you my husband and I are constantly reminded that you would prefer we not be here. Hardly a day goes by that there is not some letter to the Editor or an article discussing how expats are taking jobs belonging to Bermudians.

There is no acknowledgment of my husband's expertise, my many hours of volunteer work or our economic contribution to the island.

As for tourists, Canadian tourists pay a high price for coming here. The exchange rate is very unfavourable to the Canadian dollar and Bermuda , since it caters to the "higher end'' tourist, is not an inexpensive place to holiday. Finally I will end with two words -- REBECCA MIDDLETON.

CANADIAN EXPAT City of Hamilton Act a conflict of interest August 16, 1999 Dear Sir, Regarding the Trade Union Amendment Act currently being considered by Parliament, proponents of the bill have argued for the right of an individual to freedom of association, although this is completely irrelevant to the issue.

The point here is conflict of interest. Just as laws exist which prevent a lawyer from representing both the plaintiff and defendant in the same case, labour unions are universally prohibited from offering membership to management employees. To change this would be a fundamental ethical breach destroying the clear division between labour and management that their necessarily adversarial relationship requires to function.

Moreover, the companies large enough to be organised by the union are foreign owned. The proposed legislation would change the BIU's economic role of representing labour versus management into the highly political, de facto representation of Bermudians versus foreign corporations and their appointed officers, who often come from abroad. This would be a daunting prospect for investors bringing employment and capital to Bermuda.

Worse, the division created between senior management and all other employees would inevitably be based on race. That would be a disastrous turn for the already worrisome direction of race relations. At a time when the former general manager of the Elbow Beach Hotel, Bill Shoaf, can be harassed into leaving Bermuda, while a Member of Parliament recently proposed that companies be required to practise blatant racial discrimination in recruiting from abroad, Government should be wary of creating a hostile environment for companies and people who come here and contribute to Bermuda's economic well being. The bill now before Parliament is a step in the wrong direction economically, politically and socially.

A UNION MEMBER Southampton