Dear Sir, I think this new ARV tax on housing is a form of Income Tax.

It does not seem fair to tax people who are not rich, but worked hard to acquire property on a nice piece of land years ago and are now retired and live on a fixed income. What ever next? DEVONSHIRE Rent control a mistake July 14, 1999 The following was sent to Hon. Nelson Bascome, Minister of Health and Family Services and Housing, and copied to Premier Jennifer Smith and The Royal Gazette .

Dear Mr. Bascome, Re: The Proposed Extension of Rent Control It has come to my attention that measures are being taken to adjust the level of Annual Rental Value (ARV) for properties subject to rent control to $16,200. I also understand that properties that had been exempt from rent control, having come on line after 1983, are now also to come under rent control if their ARVs are $16,200 or less.

I own two such units which were previously exempted and would now be subject to control if your Government proceeds. I strongly urge you to reconsider this move, as it will be counter-productive in a number of ways.

The exemption you seek to remove was meant to stimulate the production of additional dwelling units. The step you propose to take will have the opposite effect.

Further, I doubt that the Rent Control Office is equipped to deal with the additional workload. The market is the proper place for levels of rent to be determined, as it is with all other products and services.

The proper way to deal with the affordability of housing is for Housing Assistance to help those who need it. That way all taxpayers share the tax burden. To control the rent of individuals who have invested in Bermuda real estate -- which is a considerable undertaking -- is to force them to shoulder a disproportionate load in addressing one of the socio-economic problems of our society.

I was considering investing in another property, but will now probably invest in the international equity market instead. I imagine that others will also hold off on investing in housing. I think you are about to make the housing shortage worse not better.

Don't be too proud to reverse yourselves. Make it happen! DONALD DAVIS Pembroke Go Slow Day a failure July 15, 1999 Dear Sir, For the second year in a row, the Road Safety Council and The Ministry of Transport have attempted a "Go Slow Day''. For the second year in a row I have observed the failure of this event.

We were promised increased Police presence. I saw none along that wonderful stretch of South Shore Road between Turtle Bay and Jobson's Cove. What I did see was mostly normal traffic driving "natural'' speeds without headlights on. Not a single bus had headlights on. I would have thought that at least the Government-owned vehicles would have been in compliance.

Most Bermudians and quite a few tourists travel over 30 miles per hour. Is it not time we completely overhaul transportation laws from the courts to the roadways? I know, if we raise the speed limit people will just drive faster, insurance rates will climb and more people will die. So what then should we do? Can we then lower the speed limit to ten mph? Someone told me that their car needs to go at least 20 mph to get out of second gear. Maybe we should just rewind to 1946 and get rid of the nasty machines. This one's for you, Cheese Ray.

Let's be serious. The speed limit is too slow. It's not enforced because either the magistrates and Police agree or they have more important things to do. Maybe no one sees the value of a law which has probably outlived its original intent. Raising the speed limit would add a measure of comfort and convenience to our citizens' lives. Enforcing a reasonable speed limit would certainly be a deterrent to wilful speeders.

Regarding the success of "Go Slow Day'', I did see two 80-year-olds driving at 20 mph. One of them had a mile of vehicles behind them and the other had a mile of vehicles passing them. My concern was with the overtaking vehicles.

Out doing my morning walk I realised after the dust cleared that my life was in danger. I decided, that rather than risk long lines of traffic along the East Broadway "highway'', I should just call in sick. So I did, and spent the day snorkelling at Bermuda's latest commercial attraction Church Bay. I brought my own fins of course. What's next, "Ban All Traffic Day''? Yo Ewart, does your boss know what you're doing? ANTHONY E. WADE Warwick Just stop speeding July 4, 1999 Dear Sir, There appear to be a lot of unhappy people in recent months, complaining about the long wait they have to endure, sometimes in the rain outside Magistrates' Court. I suppose by complaining they want us to feel sorry for them. Actually, there is a very simple solution to this problem -- don't speed.

I must say it is a joy to know the Police are catching so many of these offenders. Unfortunately it looks like many of them pay their fines, go straight back on the road and break the law again, because there are still a lot more out there. I feel that the fines should be stiffer, and should be paid promptly, and after three offences they are taken off the road for a year or two. There are always solutions to any problem as long as there is someone with the guts to carry them out.

SEEING IT AS IT IS Pembroke Unprecedented decision July 14, 1999 Dear Sir, I, like many other Bermudians, was very interested to learn of the decision by the Bermuda College pertaining to the expired work permit for Dr. Donald Peters.

For those who might have missed the announcement, Dr. Peters was given a renewal until December of next year and then at the end of this period Dr.

Larita Alford, a Bermudian currently working abroad, is set to take over.

Without discussing the decision-making process and its result, I would like to know if all employers, not just the Bermuda College and the Government of Bermuda, will be allowed this type of arrangement.

In my opinion this is a precedent setting arrangement allowing an employer the ability to extend and maintain the non-Bermudian employee when there is a qualified Bermudian applicant. In this case the Bermudian will not be hired for another 14 months! Perhaps this Government would like to explain in more detail this arrangement and also clarify if their option is available to all.

MICHAEL H. DUNKLEY MP Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Worried about cell towers July 14, 1999 Dear Sir, Each day when I wake up I have a nagging feeling of what my children and neighbourhood are being exposed to. Now that the cellular towers in Warwick/Scotts Hill and elsewhere have been turned on, we are being exposed to microwave radiation 24 hours a day in our homes.

Even though more and more research point to elevated cancer and leukaemia cases in exposed populations, Cellular One have continued to build the towers next to homes and playgrounds. An expert recently visiting the Island said he was shocked that the towers were so close and low to the homes and playground.

In all his experience he had never seen towers so dangerously placed.

Cellular One ignored pleas from the neighbourhoods to site the towers safely to minimise health risks, instead they chose to put money before the welfare of the surrounding neighbourhoods.

I would ask all right thinking people to not sign up with Cellular One until they remove their towers and place them in safe places away from homes/school playgrounds.

WARWICK A better definition July 12, 1999 Dear Sir, Your editorial of yesterday's date begins: "There seems to be a Murphy's Law about publishing news of a drought or water shortage. As soon as you do, it rains.'' May I humbly suggest that this circumstance, along with others of its kind (such as "As soon as you step into the shower, the phone rings'') are not examples of Murphy's Law. Murphy's Law, simply stated, is: "If something can go wrong, it will go wrong.'' This originally was an axiom of engineers and scientists and typically it means that if you give someone the unintended choice of two options they will invariably choose the wrong one.

I trust this is a good enough explanation. A suggestion or forecast gone wrong cannot be attributed to Murphy's Law. Perhaps in your case, Mr. Editor, the publishing of news of a drought which was soon followed by a substantial rainfall, should be classified as Zuill's First Law of Publishing.

PETER J. WILLCOCKS Smith's Parish.

P.s. May I take this opportunity to commend you on the high standards set and kept up in the writing of your editorials.

Elbow manager a jewel July 8, 1999 Dear Sir, We chose to have our wedding ceremony and reception at the Elbow Beach Hotel on June 12, 1999. Ms Sonia Whitter, Social Catering and Conference Services Manager, assisted us in the planning and co-ordinating of the event.

We would like to express our gratitude to Ms Sonia Whitter and the staff at the Elbow Beach Hotel who made our wedding such a success. It was truly a beautiful wedding and we feel that Sonia did a wonderful job. She offered us friendly service, professionalism and a great attitude! Sonia is a very talented Bermudian -- we think Elbow Beach is lucky to have her as a part of their team! Sonia, thank you for a day we will never forget! ALICIA & GENE AITKEN Pembroke