This is with reference to an article appearing in yesterday's (Friday, 13th October) Royal Gazette headlined "Allen makes plans for the 500th anniversary celebration.'' I understand that only Mr. Allen spoke to the reporter assigned to cover a meeting of a committee (no doubt of experts) appointed to organise a year long celebration of the Island's date of discovery.

In a subsequent paragraph it is stated: "In 1503, it is believed Spanish navigator Juan de Bermudez discovered the Island.'' Believed by whom? Let it be clearly understood that it is not known when (in what year) Bermuda was discovered. That it was discovered by Bermudez is well known, hence the name.

"When is only presumed by some that it possibly was in 1503 or 1505. Possibly or even probably is not fact.

This is a long standing puzzle which has engaged the study of many of our historians. It is true that the research in the archives at Seville by Jonathan Bream uncovered considerable information regarding Bermudez' travels across the Atlantic, and shows that he made outward journeys in 1495 and 1497, out and home in 1507, and in 1508; and as Dr. David Quinn has noted when commenting on Bream's paper that "information on the crucial years 1498-1506 was not noted''. We, of course, realise that the discovery would have been made on a homeward journey, as that is the route that would have been taken back to Europe.

There are flaws in the information given to the reporter, such as that when Peter Martyr's map was published in 1511, that beside `La Bermuda' was the note 1503. This is totally incorrect. A map was published in 1690 by a Frenchman, entitled Carle de la Novelle France, (some 79 years later) which does have the note "decouverte learn 1503'' but this does not of course give his source.

It would be exciting if 2003 was indeed the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Bermuda, but because we cannot be certain when it was discovered, it would be a great big mistake to have a year long celebration of what at best could be said to be the "possible anniversary'' or, even if some think, in spite of Bram's information, "probable anniversary'' and be it noted at a very considerable expenditure of tax payer's money. History is important and exciting. While everyone makes mistakes, knowingly to make statement which are incorrect or cannot be substantiated, is both foolish and dishonest.

JOYCE D. HALL Pembroke We must Police ourselves March 13, 2001 Dear Sir, Further to the article in today's Royal Gazette by Tania Theriault, may I be permitted to provide additional comment? While I certainly agree with Mr. Barnes, the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, that there is a limit to what manpower can do, it is important that what "manpower'' is available is deployed sensibly: for example in the timely production of information pamphlets for every traveller to Europe with a return ticket to Bermuda, and for those from the UK and France visiting Bermuda; in the dissemination of educational leaflets to all sensitive areas in Bermuda: farms, small back-yard holdings (mostly goats) and places such as Windreach and the Maritime Museum.

Naturally we must be "pragmatic'' which means persuading the public to "police'' themselves in the area of preventing the introduction of this virus. Travellers to the UK should be aware of the high-risk areas, and be encouraged to be very responsible with clothing and footwear. People owning susceptible livestock in Bermuda should discourage visits on their premises from either travellers returning from the UK or France, and be cautious in entertaining visitors from these regions. Certainly such visitors should have no contact with livestock.

Self "policing'' is the only weapon, and for that to take place, the public must understand how an outbreak of F&M would affect them and the Bermuda we all love! The Ministry and the Department seem to have relied on "the word getting out''. No one from the Department of Agriculture or the Ministry of the Environment has actually discussed this aspect with the media. No official meeting with all of the Island's veterinary surgeons has been called. We have no plan of action in place, and no predefined strategy in the event of a diagnosis. (The vets have enjoyed a social gathering recently, which was purely that -- a private function and which had been in the works since January 17, at the instigation of our President, long before the F&M outbreak in the UK: very little was said on the topic, and certainly no written report was forthcoming.) The public should know the following: The virus is resistant to all common disinfectants and storage practices of the meat and food trade.

It may persist for up to one year in infected premises.

It persists for ten to twelve weeks on clothing and in feed -- up to one month on hair.

The virus may persist in an aerosol form (surrounded by a droplet of water) for very long periods.

It persists in a warm environment.

It is also completely resistant to freezing temperatures, and is well preserved in frozen semen (-79C) for at least one months.

Rodents act as a reservoir. They may become infected, and remain carriers for up to five months.

Things that kill the F&M virus: It is very sensitive to changes in pH (acid base balance) -- any shift from the neutral pH is lethal.

Ultraviolet sun rays are lethal to it. For these reasons, the most practical measures of virus removal remain the use of alkaline solutions such as two percent sodium hydroxide, or even ammonia or common vinegar. Placing clothes in the direct sunshine for a few hours is also a practical measure. Thank you for your help.

DR. A.M. WARE-CIETERS City of Hamilton Second to none care March 2, 2001 Dear Sir, May we use your column to express our thanks to the KEMH, the doctors of the Family Practice and nurses from the Home Nursing Services.

On arriving in Bermuda eight weeks ago (for a long visit to meet our new twin grandsons) my husband was taken seriously ill and was admitted to the hospital. He was there for eight days. Three days after he was discharged he was re-admitted with D.V.T.

While in hospital he received nothing but the best medical attention we could ask for, everything possible was done to help him and thanks to wonderful care and nursing he has recovered.

We feel the help and care he has received has been second to none! So staff at KEMH Emergency Department, Curtis Ward, Family Practice, Home Nursing and all the very kind people of Bermuda who have helped us through a very worrying and difficult time a very big heart felt thank you.

HAROLD AND IRENE DE STE CROIX Devonshire Sickened by dog attack March 12, 2001 Dear Sir, Well, here we go again, another brutal abuse of an animal -- to think there are so called men walking around our community who are capable of such sick cruelty, is chilling indeed.

At the risk of ad nauseum I advocated last October 2000, that another case, whereby a dog had been stabbed and left to die, be placed in the stocks in St.

Georges every day for a week.

Is it at all possible that the judicial system can still find this kind of punishment on the books -- but most of all, is it possible that we could find a judge who would have the courage to hand down such a sentence? A sentence that through the public disgrace and humiliation would never be forgotten.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, this sight could be worth a thousand deterrents.

DIANA WILLIAMS Pembroke Leaders must set example March 15, 2001 Dear Sir, The key to being an effective manager, union executive, government leader, etc, is our overall attitude. A lot of people at the top complain about the attitude of their subordinates, when their own attitude is not what it should be. In order for things to improve it has to start at the top and it has to start with a positive attitude.

The reason so many hotel workers have a negative attitude, resist change and have a closed mind is because managers and union officials refuse to change and are not prepared to introduce any new method after 30 years of negativity.

So many people have problems changing because they have been programmed with negativity from an early age, which became entrenched at a deep subconscious level. For example: in the past 20 years for five months (January, February, March, November and December) room attendants in our hotels could earn $4,180 in gross wages. Yet because of low occupancy in the above five months, their gross income in wages barely exceeded $1,700. With deductions of $1,200 for this same period many of our room attendants net income does not exceed $500 in net wages over these five months.

Does anyone care? RAYMOND RUSSELL, SR.

Pembroke Do you have the answers? March 15, 2001 Dear Sir, Can anyone answer the following? After bombing Serbia for 78 days for trying to force out the ethnic Albanians, why are we now asking them to help NATO to do just that? We were told to eat little and often and at the same time told not to eat between meals? Unusually I am told `Healthy without cardiac disease... avoid aspirin? Why is the front suspension on Bermuda buses not attended to? GEORGE GAIL Paget