"Pray -- Hit and Run'' On Sunday, March 28, 1999 I attended a Prayer Breakfast at the Sonesta Beach Hotel. Instructions for parking at the function, were given by security, which I carried out. Between the hours of 7.45 a.m. and 10 a.m. someone damaged my car without leaving a note or trying to find out who owned the car. It could have possibly been one of you who attended the Prayer Breakfast.

If it was me, I would have carried out the above. Pray and let your conscience be your guide. If you are responsible for hitting my White Toyota Corolla Hatchback Car Number: 03878 please give me a call at 238-2168 so that we can make some arrangements, you know who you are and you don't want to be embarrassed.

"Ye should do that which is honest.'' (II Corinthians 13 verse 7) JULIE-KAY DARRELL City of Hamilton Artists deserved more March 30, 1999 Dear Sir, Mr. Gareth Finighan's approach to art criticism seems to be, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like''. He has demonstrated this trait in the past, and did it again with his review in The Royal Gazette , dated March 18, of the art exhibition called "Witchcraft'', which was recently on show at the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard. The work of three talented artists was on display in this exhibition, but Mr. Finighan seems to have paid attention to only one.

Mr. Finighan devoted a column and a half to praising Jean Rodriguez's paintings. Then he threw in one paragraph on the work of Fiona Rodriguez (Jean's daughter), in which his main comment was, "I really don't know what to say about these two pieces...'' As for Kendra Ezekiel, Mr. Finighan wrote exactly one sentence, in which he observed that her work "didn't exactly get my pulse racing.'' Jean Rodriguez is certainly a technically skilled painter, and her subjects are delightful and witty. But the other two artists in the show are just as skilled and deserve just as much attention.

If Mr. Finighan had really been looking at their work, he would have seen quite a lot. In Fiona Rodriguez's brooms and mysterious knitted garments, he would have seen the quality of the materials she used and the skill with which she used them. He might also have noticed that by suspending her brooms in mid-air and constructing her knitted garments so that they are impossible to wear, she has taken these ordinary items out of context and transformed them into entirely new objects. Hmmm...doesn't witchcraft have something to do with transformation? As for Kendra Ezekiel, if Mr. Finighan had really looked he would have seen a variety of objects -- two large fans, a hanging scroll, a beautiful Japanese-style folding screen (whose handsome wooden frame was made by David Mitchell), and three splendid kites. What made all these objects special in terms of craftsmanship was that they were constructed primarily from handmade paper, and carried out with the greatest attention to quality and detail. The paper in the different objects was sometimes dense and heavy, at other times so thin you could see through it. In all cases its texture was beautiful.

In addition, if Mr. Finighan had been paying attention, he would have noticed that all of Ms Ezekiel's pieces left the viewer with something to contemplate.

To give just one example, the group of three kites was titled, `Mediations of Martyrdom,' and on each kite a different plant was depicted: Easter Lilies, passion fruit flowers, and palm leaves. Then there was the twist: razor blades attached to the tassels of the kites. What might that have been about? To put it simply, Ms Ezekiel's work gets my pulse racing. I am awed by both the quality of her craftsmanship and the subtlety of her thought. I am moved by her work as I am moved by great music. It is a transforming experience. And that is what witchcraft is all about.

Fortunately, several other reviews of `Witchcraft' appeared in other publications, which gave more even-handed assessments of this show. But The Royal Gazette has a large readership, and would be better served by an art critic with an open mind. The reviewer is not obliged to like everything that he or she sees. But the critic should at least make an honest attempt to understand the artwork and explain it to the reader.

FOR GOOD ART CRITICISM St. George's PLP's post office problem March 26, 1999 Dear Sir, My anger and frustration prompts me to write to you, on two points relating to Paget, even before the evening news is ended.

First, Paget Post Office -- it is obvious even to the slowest mind that the PLP had no intentions of building a new Post Office until the letter from P.

Thomas, which came straight to the point, appeared in the letters to the Editor page a couple of days ago. One can almost imagine the ringing of phones and the running around offices trying to get an act together, that very day, to try and convince the public that an omission was not the case. A Press conference was called immediately. Had this not been a rushed situation, the Press conference would have been planned days before. How stupid do the PLP think we Paget voters are? And, whom do they think wants to go up to Stonington to send or collect mail? Come on, a Post Office has to be within the area of the thoroughfare, not off the beaten track. Do you know how many people there are who don't have transport? They rely on jumping off the bus, collecting their mail and boarding the next bus that comes along. No Sir, think of another excuse, that one won't work.

Secondly, I refer to the scandal of the permission to build nine units on a plot of arable land on Middle Road and Bostock Hill East in Paget. I believe that permission was given for two units some four or five years ago but the selfish greed of the owners of the land and developers comes before the sacred preservation of our Island's open spaces. How many more open spaces are there along our roads now? Not many. Hamilton is spreading through the parishes and we shall soon be at the stage where we don't know where one ends and the other begins. It is scandalous that this massacre is allowed to go on.

Where is the "people's Government'' now? We need dwelling units of course, but don't kid yourself that these new units will be in the wage bracket of the working man. No way. These will be rented at some outrageous thousands per month to our expatriate "guests''. I wonder why it is that some people are not allowed to tamper with arable land, yet this development will envelope most of that property and some will be taken over for road widening also.

OUTRAGED PAGET RESIDENT Ban legal drugs March 29, 1999 Dear Sir, A majority of people do say that crack, marijuana etc. are substances that do harm to your system and are illegal to use because of that particular reason but I ask the question. If we are so concerned with these drugs why isn't the law so concerned with smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol? Many people will disagree with me but it is a known fact that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol do cause damage to the human body and will or could result in death, yet the law has not taken a stand about this issue.

Ignorance has no limit whatsoever, so what do you expect from this sinful world? It is all a money-making operation for the people who sell these two harmful substances yielding to the mighty and powerful dollar. It is time to stop the nonsense as putting these down as legal drugs for the simple fact there is no such thing as a legal drug and it will cause harm to a living being. This is reality not fiction so why even bother with covering up or defending it? KENNETH MINORS Paget Appealing for stamps March 24, 1999 Dear Sir, I am married with three grown-up children. Since 1963 I have been sick with Multiple Sclerosis. My disability is permanent and I will spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair or in bed. Because of my wife's love and care, we go on living a full and busy life despite my disability.

I have to spend most of my time indoors and to keep myself busy, I collect stamps. Unfortunately it is very hard to get stamps from other countries and I am aking the readers of your newspaper to send me stamps for my collection. I would be very grateful for you help.

LOUI FINAL 127 Wayne Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario MIR1Y8 Canada Use the cat o'nine tails March 30, 1999 Dear Sir, This is just an opinion but I feel that I should voice it. In the past few months there have been several crimes against people in general, what I don't understand is how can law makers not use the tools that they have in their hands? I mean they have the cat o'nine tails on the books but they don't use it.

Why, I ask, is this? These crimes are hurting Bermuda and her people badly.

Law makers, please use the tools that you have in your hands just to save our Country and her people. Remember each of us will suffer in the long run but most importantly our children will suffer the most.

LAVITA WILLIAMS City of Hamilton