I wanted to write The Royal Gazette regarding the current fashion of apologizing for others.

Let me state at the outset, if you think it through, it is impossible to say "sorry'' for acts of your forefather who lived in a different time and place.

This can only be gratuitous at worst and symbolic at best. You can only be held responsible for your own behaviour. It is what you think, say or do that should be held accountable. By extension you must set an example creating a sound set of ethical and moral values for your children in particular and society in general. And when you make a mistake by all means apologize, better still don't repeat it.

With the present epidemic of `apologies' I'd like to remind all humans that since the beginning of recorded time, crimes have been committed by one group or another against one group or another. No culture, racial, ethnic, political or religious group is innocent or exempt. All are guilty at different times and in varying degrees. All have experienced "The Heart of Darkness''.

Bearing this in mind, there is only one valid regretful acknowledgement of past fault and failure -- an apology for "man's inhumanity to man''.

R.W. KAUFMANN Sandys Parish Credit where credit's due April 25, 2000 Dear Sir, I have been on the island of Bermuda for almost 22 years. No I am not an expat. I am a man. A local, Bermudian, white man who has lived on the island since I was born.

My family have been on this island for 300 years So one could say that I am more "Bermudian'' than most of the people on this island. But, if you think about it, I am still an expat. My ancestors moved to Bermuda to work. To make use of a small island in the middle of the Atlantic. They made boats, made sails, were part of the salt trade and some were even privateers (so I have been told). They were the people, at that time, who made the island what it has now become. A striving community that depends on everyone's help to make the economy of the island strong.

The point of my little story above is that the expats that come to our island, come here because they have been offered a job, for a certain period of time, until a Bermudian is able to fill that position. What most of the people on this island fail to realise is that the expats are helping to keep the economy of Bermuda one of the highest in the world. They are making the island money because there is no Bermudian able to fill the position of which they have. If there is, then it is your right to go and apply for that position and get it, if you have the qualifications to do so.

Maybe it's me. Maybe the answer to this problem is not as simple as I think it is. But, bear this in mind, expats have been helping the "Bermudian'' make this island go around ever since it was discovered. I, for one, think the help is needed and I thank them for lending a hand. I know most of the people on the island will disagree with me, but if they stop listening to what people are saying and take a look for themselves then they would realise how much expats bring to the island. Like I said before, I am only 22 and maybe a little naive but I know where to give credit where credit is due.

BERMUDA ONION Paget Simply outrageous April 24, 2000 Dear Sir, It's outrageous that we hear a lot of rhetoric about Expats, Work Permits, and CURE activities that has everyone in an uproar, when the real issues are NOT, ex-pat, work Permits, or CURE values. Instead the real issues are: 1. Bermuda is only 21 square miles and people born Bermudians and of Bermudian descent have nowhere else to go.

2. Children here are growing up and having children and their children are having children and elderly people are living longer and there is no housing now and no space for housing in the future.

3. Bermuda has no industries built on natural resources that could offer future employment opportunities for our children and their children's children. Yet it is rich in Sea and Atmospheric bounties.

It's outrageous that these real life issues are not the focus of the day, and apparently not the concerns of the current Government leadership except one Minister of the Environment. Recent polls indicate that Bermudians of Bermuda descent overall do not have a problem with expats, which proves that the spirit of Bermudian neighbourliness is alive and well. But, it is ironic that those not of Bermudian descent who have claim to other nationalities do not see the critical danger facing Bermudians, who unlike them, have nowhere else in the world to go.

Finally, giving the aforementioned, it's outrageous that there are new housing dwellings for tourists at Daniel's Head, more of the scarce land taken from Bermudians during a housing crisis, when Club Med, Castle Harbour , Mermaid Beach that are potential housing dwellings remain empty, vacant and waiting to become more tourist dwellings. One wonders if this is not a plot to rid Bermuda of all people who are not tourists. In the meantime children exposed to crowded living conditions in multiple family dwellings are exposed to physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. If this is not institutionalised child abuse what really is? FLY ON THE WALL St. George's What is your agenda? April 28, 2000 Dear Sir, Having read your recent article on the percentage of blacks and whites who oppose/support present levels of guest workers in the island, I'm left wondering just what is The Royal Gazette's agenda. Although you admit that the data was based on "Bermuda residents'', you fail to provide data on "Bermudians'', and "Bermudian voters''.

It is a fact that in 1991, 21 percent of Bermuda's population was classified as "non-Bermudian''. Of the "White and Other'' residents on the island (39 percent of the total population), 44 percent were classified as "non-Bermudian'', whereas only six percent of the black population is classified as "non-Bermudian''. This makes your data quite frivolous in that you have not gauged the true sentiment of local residents -- more to the point, the voters of this island.

Another little detail you fail to take into consideration is that also in 1991 55 percent of the white population was classified as foreign born. Comparing blacks versus whites, 90 percent of the black population is classified as "Bermuda Born'', while 45 percent of the white population is classified as "Bermuda Born''.

This shows that although 56 percent of whites are classified as Bermudian, approximately 11 percent (56 percent to 45 percent) of the "white and other'' group are status grant recipients.

With the present boom in international business, the data of Bermudians, non-Bermudians, Bermuda-born and non-Bermuda born residents would have taken a dramatic change since the 1991 data. This would once again bias your data significantly. Instead of taking an opportunity to gauge the true public sentiment on the issue, you have done little more than manipulate your readers and exacerbate a situation that is of the greatest importance to this island's future.

JUST ANOTHER BYE Sandys Parish Editor's Note: Last Friday's story stated that the data on Bermudian and non-Bermudian residents was not available but would be forthcoming. It was never stated that the survey was intended to gauge the opinions of Bermudians only; any survey or poll on issues affecting the whole community, with the exception of political polls forecasting voting intentions, should cover all points of view.

A venomous response April 26, 2000 Dear Sir, For Mr. Derek Burgess to call Mr. Michael Dunkley an extremist is a classic case of the "pot calling the kettle black''.

Worse is the way in which he cites an incident, involving Mr. Dunkley's mother, which took place some 20 odd years ago, which had nothing to do with the issue at hand. This was contemptible! Unfortunately this kind of response -- hysterical and venomous -- is not confined to Mr. Burgess. Far too often his Parliamentary colleagues on the Government side react in like manner to any form of criticism from the Opposition or anyone else.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said something many years ago that is as true today as it was then: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.'' DAVID M. SKINNER Smith's Parish