Through your medium, I would like to share an undertaking by some of our road users. I began to prepare a log when my safety was put into question as a result of flying debris from an uncovered and overloaded vehicle. January 20 (10.40 a.m.) Truck heading west overloaded with soil and rocks. January 22 (10.40 a.m.) Maintenance truck overloaded with branches heading through Blackwatch Pass.

January 25 (10.25 a.m.) Truck travelling west on North Shore uncovered and overloaded with grass, logs, and branches which dropped in road at almost every corner.

February 1 (9.55 a.m.) Truck travelling along Middle Road with uncovered sand.

February 24 (5:53 p.m.) Commercial truck travelling east on Middle Road overloaded with palm leaves which covered licence plate.

February 25 (9:15 a.m.) Truck travelling west in Hamilton Parish with uncovered palm leaves protruding to opposite lane.

February 26 (10:20 a.m.) Truck travelling in Flatts with overloaded and uncovered debris and what looked like the handle of a tool protruding to the kerbside.

February 29 (7:05 a.m.) Truck overloaded upwards with bales of hay travelling east near Shelly Bay in high winds.

I am sure that other road users have experienced similar unsafe conditions.

Some of these trucks were travelling at unsafe speeds. Around corners, they were veering to the opposite lane to avoid kerbside walls or hedges. I wonder if some of these truckers are charging their customers for the removal of two loads but trying to make unsafe single removals? Readable licence plates and the pollution being emitted from some vehicles also need some review.

L. TROTT City of Hamilton Get the balance right March 1, 2000 Dear Sir, I would like to reply to the letter signed by Expat CEO.

I am Bermudian, 40-something, white, male, professionally qualified, with a reasonable amount of overseas experience. I believe that I am a good employee and that I give a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. I consider myself conscientious, loyal, and, in the right circumstances, willing to go the extra little bit. I feel very fortunate to live in Bermuda, working and enjoying what is a very good life. Compared to most places, Bermuda is indeed another world. Generally speaking, with the exception of the premium expatriates suffer on the purchase of land, I am subject to the same tax structure as Expat CEO. I pay land tax, I pay payroll tax, I pay road tax, I pay Customs duties, and I pay higher prices for goods that are sold in Bermuda. However, while Bermudians and expatriates live in, and share, the same environment, I believe we are subject to a different set of opportunities and a different set of pressures.

There is no doubt that the expatriate community has done, and continues to do, much for Bermuda. However, without wishing to sound ungrateful, the fact of the matter is, the average Bermudian is finding it harder and harder to live in his own land. As Expat CEO points out, Bermuda will not be able to provide anywhere near enough people to man the pumps at the exempted companies choosing to come to Bermuda. At the middle and senior management levels, these companies require staff who are highly educated, highly motivated, highly skilled, and who are willing and able to put their job as priority one. How many Bermudians can honestly put their hand on their hearts and say: "Yes, I can do, and be, all of those things''? But I also would ask, how many Americans/British/Canadians who are here in Bermuda could say that in their own countries? Generally speaking, the expatriates that come to our country are not those who would be flying high in their own countries. We attract an average type of person who is looking for a little fun in the sun, and seeking to put a few extra dollars in the bank.

Make no mistake, the typical expatriate in Bermuda may be brighter and more motivated than our average Bermudian, but he is not going to light the world on fire in his own land.

To put a slightly different spin on it, Bermuda affords the expatriate with a lifestyle that he would not enjoy back in his home town, and in return he helps Bermuda. Business 101 -- we each have something that the other wants, and so a transaction takes place. Yes, indeed, Expat CEO has paid much in land transfer tax but I would contend that he has been able to afford such taxes because he has been in Bermuda. Let's be honest, Expat CEO did not buy the property so that he could pay the transfer tax. No, he bought the property because he could afford to, and deemed it a wise transaction, in spite of the transfer tax.

It does not take a rocket scientist to realise that no-one comes to Bermuda because they want to help Bermuda. Companies and expatriates come to Bermuda because it is in their own best interests to do so. Indeed, the support to this statement is given by their own words -- if the environment changes such that the benefit to being in Bermuda is removed, so we may likely leave''. At the end of the day, what is it that we should all be seeking? Surely, it is balance. As a white, professionally qualified, forty-something Bermudian male, I believe that the current administration is actually taking the correct, albeit painful, steps to achieve a better balance. For years, the previous administration paid lip service to the concept of Bermudiansiation. The current administration is now making efforts to create a tangible environment for all to work in. There is little cause for real concern as long as we all agree that what we are talking about is balancing a business transaction. In light of the fact that the average Bermudian is finding it harder and harder to live here, we need to find a new and improved balance, as the tables appear to be skewed just a little bit too much in favour of the expatriate. I support fully Expat CEO's call for an improved public education system. Teachers much be high quality and able to teach our Bermudian students. Most expatriates do not use the public education system for their children -- the public education system is typically for the Bermudian, and more specifically, the black Bermudian. Expat CEO, and his colleagues, may have their name displayed on many plaques throughout Bermuda but, last time I looked, not many of their children were attending CedarBridge Academy. Sadly, the previous government took its eye off the education ball years ago, and kept it off. Again, I support Expat CEO's call for vocational training, something Bermuda used to have many years ago. The new Permanent Secretary for Education needs to ensure her teachers are held accountable for the results of their students -- if the teachers are not up to snuff, they should be replaced with teachers who are.

Education is the only credible way up.

Instead of everybody calling foul, let's get the equation between what is good for Bermuda and what is good for expatriates rebalanced. We need to accept that, generally speaking, expatriates and Bermudians, are living in different worlds within the same 21 square miles, and the pendulum will not always swing smoothly. The average Bermudian is feeling disenfranchised from this important segment of our community, and that is not good community health management for any society.

AN AVERAGE BERMUDIAN Hamilton Parish Business helps hotels March 8, 2000 Dear Sir, As Bermudian hoteliers, please allow space in your column to express support for the letter published on March 1st by "An Expat CEO''.

There is no question that Bermuda must not be misled into underestimating the impact of international business and its benefit for every single Bermudian man, woman and child. Conversely, one cannot underestimate the damage caused by public expressions of dislike for those who bring employment and prosperity to our country.

International business brings international business travellers. It should also be said that international business travellers mask the real state of our hospitality industry. So often a guest on business will be joined by their spouse for an additional week or weekend either with us or at a resort property.

One might be misled into thinking that, as a hotel, we are not sensitive to international business. The reality is that the Royal Palms Hotel is a successful property because we accommodate the business travellers who account for 65 percent of our guests and we would not be viable without them. Our Bermudian staff would not have jobs, taxis would have fewer fares and our suppliers would have one less customer.

ROYAL PALMS HOTEL Pembroke Letter set the wrong tone March 6, 2000 Dear Sir, In response to the CEO letter to the Editor on Wednesday, March 1, 2000, there are three issues that I feel were unwarranted and therefore spoiled the intent and sincerity of the writer.

It was bad judgment to address the Premier of the country instead of stating to the people of the country. That would have relieved the reader of feeling that it was not a seemingly personal attack on the Premier. Why in the world would the writer want to mention the `paltry' sum of $35,000 paid out by the BIU. This is a significant figure to the membership and so came across as a blatant attack on the prides of the members.

Lastly, the unnecessary attack on the Honourable Minister, Mr. Arthur Hodgson confirmed to the majority of Bermudians that the letter, although having many merits, was really an opportunity for the writer to vent his or her anger toward the Government.

Without having mentioned those three delicate areas, a vast majority of the readers would have given more credence to the purpose of such a letter.

REALIST Southampton