Dear Sir, How many times does it take? An individual has been caught for the fifth time, for driving while impaired.

A fine and a measly 12-month ban from all vehicles was issued! That's it?! How many chances does one get before you kill someone? Do you think a 12-month ban is long enough for the fifth offence? After five times it is obvious this individual holds no regard for the law or other road users.

They should be banned from the roads forever. Sound like an unfair sentence? Ask any parent, brother, sister, family member or friend who has suffered the loss of a loved one because of a drunk driving accident. A driving licence is a privilege not a right. You abuse the privilege you loose the right. Simple.

Road Safety Council, please fight for longer or permanent bans on drunk drivers. We do not want them driving amongst us.

To all of those people who drink and drive, please stay off the road. There are buses, taxis, and I'm sure you have friends who can drive you. Bermuda is only 21 square miles, walk if you have to, lay in a ditch somewhere until you are sober, or the next time we read about you it will be on the front page because you have killed yourself, or someone else in a road traffic accident.

DRIVER Warwick What's best for Best April 18, 2000 Dear Sir, I do not wish to comment on the merits of the dispute involving Clyde Best as I do not know the full story.

However, Clyde Best is still remembered affectionately and did much to enhance Bermuda's image in Britain and paved the way for the acceptance of so many black footballers in Britain and elsewhere.

It is not only football fans who regret that Clyde Best has had great problems in his land of birth and hope that they will soon be resolved.

Bermuda is a small geographically isolated island with a population less than a small English town, but it is often reported upon and those in positions of authority or influence must take into account the effect their activities have on Bermuda's image on the outside world.

DAVID ROBINSON Croydon, England CEO displays ignorance April 27, 2000 Dear Sir, This letter is directed to Expat CEO. I refer to the letter written on February 23. Mr. CEO, let me make one thing clear. I agree entirely that we need foreigners to work in Bermuda.

International business is the dominant rock upon which our economy is built.

Also, the injection of foreigners in the work force keeps us competitive and abreast of what is going on in the rest of the world. Few people doubts this.

However Mr. CEO, your letter does your lucrative CEO title no justice. I have never read such ignorant drivel. I would've thought that a CEO of a successful exempted company would have had sufficient intellect to be able to give a proper analysis of the political dynamics of a country in which he has lived and worked for 20 years.

I thought you said it was important to have an IQ in your industry. In your case, does the "I'' stand for "intelligence'' or "idiot''? I am glad that you wrote this letter to display your ignorance for all to see because it actually exposes the real core of the "expat'' controversy.

You see Mr. CEO, it is not the fact that we have foreigners in Bermuda that is the problem. It is the fact that we have an expat CEO of an exempt company who is so condescending and bigoted as to believe that all PLP voters are poor, socialist, idiots who if given the chance to run an exempted company would only be able to communicate with clients in their boardroom with "high-fives'' and "knuckle hand shakes''. (That was a good one! Did you get that one out of David Duke's top ten jokes? I suppose you think that we would all be cooking fried chicken and eating watermelon at the executive board-room luncheons as well.) That, for me, is quite a scary thought when I consider that someone like you might be reviewing my resume one day.

You then seem to imply that because Terry Lister is a PLP minister then he should not send his children to an overseas private school. Don't be daft. Why should he educate his children in a system designed by the UBP government that only catered to the children of your Mid-Ocean golf mates.

You mention that you have "done more for Bermuda in (your) "short'' time here than 95 percent of Bermudians have done for their country in their lifetimes.'' Such an asinine statement does not even warrant a response.

You are the CEO of a company that is incorporated in Bermuda, not out of any utopian desire to advance the economic status of that country, but because you represent a business that's sole purpose is to make money. You have come to Bermuda and have stayed here because you preferred it to other jurisdictions.

Billions of dollars flow through companies such as yours and millions are paid out in salaries. I agree that Bermuda must ensure that it provides the right climate for such companies to want to come and stay. That is a must.

But it is a two way deal that is intended to benefit all. So when you pay out $500,000 to charity or to support some ballet or a painting at City Hall (we're forever indebted to you!!) you do it to enhance your position in the community. That is standard business practice that occurs everywhere. Don't try and make yourself out to be Mother Teresa.

I also find it interesting that you should label Arthur Hodgson as a "xenophobic windbag''. He merely stated that economic development must be checked by our environment capacity to support such continued development.

That is an economic truism! But speaking of phobias, many companies such as yours seem to have a phobia against hiring any foreigner except white American, Canadian and English. (You have not told us the company you work for so I can only speak generally.) Do white persons from these cultures have a monopoly on the IQ that you speak of? Notwithstanding the good points you made, as far as the Island's dependence on international business, the patronising and derogatory tone of your letter represents the mentality which has and continues to breed animosity between locals and expats.

This is not a PLP vs UBP issue. This is not a black vs white issue. This is not a Bermudian vs expat issue. This is a matter of respect for other human beings, and your letter was highly disrespectful! May I suggest you tell your company's charity committee to hold back that $50,000 they were going to use to sponsor those paintings for the wall at City Hall and use it to send their CEO on a cultural diversity and appreciation course where perhaps his IQ could be tweaked a little so as to do business and functions harmoniously in a post-colonial world!! HIGH-FIVE City of Hamilton Face traffic facts April 20, 2000 Dear Sir, The matter which bothers me most on our ultra-narrow roads has to be the idiotic habit of walking or jogging with one's back to the traffic.

Especially when the prepretrators are young mothers listening to their Walkmans, whilst wheeling babies.

And particularly when the trusting care giver -- like yesterday -- was being overtaken by a woman driver yacking on her `hand held' with an eight year-old next her.. tussling with some others in the rear.

And with such happenings becoming commonplace surely my mother's long ago strictures about facing the oncoming traffic stands out as being prudent and sensible; particularly with our ever mounting traffic volumes, whose drivers ever seem to be taken up by home matters on their `hand helds'? So if valid -- surely our road running clubs should set an example by abandoning their indeterminate running habits and incite their members to face the on coming traffic? WILLIAM SCOTT Smith's Parish The animals thank you April 27, 2000 Dear Sir, The committee of management of the SPCA and shelter staff would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who gave of their time to sell tags on our recent Tag Days, April 7 and 8.

We would also like to thank the public for their generosity, again demonstrating to us that they have deep pockets and are concerned for the well-being of Bermuda's animals. I am delighted to report that this year we were able to raise an impressive $14,000.

Without the generosity of spirit of our volunteers and the financial generosity of the public, we would not be able to continue to "speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.'' Well done, everyone! DEBORAH J. RILEY President SPCA