Some recent developments on the international scene: American Express of Canada has a toll free number for gay travel specialists.

Sixty people are filing lawsuits against the British military for mistreatment under the military's ban on homosexuals.

The official British Tourist Authority has issued a new guide for gay and lesbian travellers to Britain. Telephone 1-877-857-2562 for a free copy.

The new Zealand Navy is painting pink triangles on its ships to indicate that they are gay friendly.

Bermuda's Government has appointed a homophobic preacher to chair the Human Rights Commission and the Opposition has elected a homophobic woman to serve beside a homophobic man in its Paget West safe seats.

Not very pretty Bermuda, or progressive or united.

Historically Bermuda resisted integration until it had civil protest. It resisted labour unions until it had disturbances. It resisted black empowerment until it had riots.

Bermuda's gays are quiet but that will not last much longer. Soon they will organise and protest. They may also "out'' gays in high places who stay silent. Remember, Bermuda's Parliament has more gays than the whole United States Congress! PILLAR Paget Great work, Bermuda May 13, 1999 Dear Sir, On behalf of everyone at TNT Vacations, I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone in Bermuda that helped to make the Jordan's Furniture Bermuda Breakaway such a fantastic success.

On Monday, May 10 TNT Vacations had the pleasure of organising a one-day beach party at Clearwater Beach for 1,300 employees of Jordan's Furniture. These 1,300 employees work in the four stores located around New England. For many, this was their first international experience and it was a great one. Many are already planning to return to the Island for their own vacation.

The event took a lot of planning and could not have been the success it was without the help of many local Bermudians. I would be remiss if I did not mention just a few people who were outstanding in helping this day become such a success.

Chet Williams, our TNT Representative in Bermuda, worked tirelessly for months to make sure that all details I had contracted were in place.

Thomas MacDonald, Manager of the Bermuda Department of Tourism in Boston was a fabulous ambassador for Bermuda and a great help in the planning and throughout the day of the event. We were so very pleased that the Hon. David Allen was able to take time out of his busy schedule to welcome the Jordan's J-Team to Bermuda and E. Michael Jones, Town Crier of St. George's was one of the most photographed people of the day.

Andy Detzer and his fantastic team from The Little Venice Group were fantastic. They worked long hours and once again proved what consummate professionals can do.

Barry and Jamie Fitzimmons from Great Sound were fabulous. They also worked long hours to ensure that we had a best staging and wonderful sound for the bands.

Kim Powell at Island Rentals and her team worked for many days to get the tents and equipment in place and ready.

Michelle Burrows and Lloyd Telford and his fine staff from Immigration made it easy to bring this number of people into the Country in such a short amount of time.

All of the gang at US Immigration, Customs and Agriculture did the same for the departure.

The Bermuda Strollers and the Coca Cola Steel Band were wonderful and very much enjoyed along with our headline band "Steve Jarrell and the Sons of the Beach'' from Nashvile Tennessee.

Finally a great round of applause must go to Tim and Tyrone Flood and their wonderful drivers from Flood Transportation Service Ltd. They truly made it all happen and make it look easy. Cabs and buses were lined up ready to go.

No-one had a delay and everyone enjoyed the transfer and Island tours to the fullest.

I can't express enough what a pleasure it was for me to work with all of these fine people and the many others that made the day such a "Home Run''. I have had the pleasure of living in your great Country and selling it for 28 years.

This again just shows me what a fantastic country Bermuda is and that her people are the best. Thank you all for making my job so easy. I look forward to selling Bermuda for years to come and bringing many more groups to my home away from home.

HOLLY POWERS Director Industry Relations TNT Vacations Boston, Massachusetts Brown has problems too May 10, 1999 Dear Sir, I read with some interest, Dr. The Hon. Ewart Brown's commentary on the "horrendous'' state of our hospital. I will make comment on that issue in a subsequent letter.

What I would like to suggest is that the Doctor do something about the lunatics on our roads -- if he thinks seat belts will cure the problem, he is as deluded as the UBP who studiously avoided dealing with the road chaos for thirty years.

Probably five percent of the population cause 99 percent of the problems on the road -- fast, reckless, careless and loud use of the road. Have you noticed our tourists hugging the sides of the roads in even diminishing numbers? Young men particularly speed. On the third appearance in Court they lose their licence. Undeterred, they ride again, seldom slowing to the legal limit. On the third disqualifications they are sent to prison where they either become drug addicts, hardened anti-socials or both.

On any morning I could confiscate ten percent of the motorbikes passing a checkpoint for excessive noise -- not worrying about excessive speed, blaring radios or indiscriminate use of horns to greet long lost friends that haven't been seen since yesterday.

And with all this, David Allen is set the task to turn around the tourism industry -- after 30 years of neglect. But on a positive note for the Honourable Doctor, he is considering letting tourists rent "G'' sized cars, which might just be a better idea than a casino! What really inspired me to write this letter was reading the Immigration Department's six page Questionnaire for a person and dependents wanting to come to work in our over-priced market. Among other hurdles the Ministry presents is for "a medical certificate of good general health ("applicant and accompanying dependents 12 years of age or older'' -- I quote!) and a full size chest X-ray plate (which should create a scream from the fringe group concerned about radio emissions from Towers).

Having gotten this medical certificate perhaps only days before, the newly arrived worker (called an `expat' by some) has to walk, bus or taxi to a local Doctor's office often with two or three children per another Doctor's certificate for TCD -- at great inconvenience and a $30-$40 charge. I think this is low grade corruption typical of a Third World country -- I am embarrassed. But now that I have pointed this out to Dr. Brown, I am sure it will change as soon as we can get a quorum in the House of Assembly.

But to add insult to injury the worker and wife have to run the TCD gauntlet.

Call today, next appointment in August. But there is a way around this -- book one of the Driver Instructors that prey on this group for two to five unneeded lessons and then are one of the slots they have conveniently booked at $50 to $60 per item. This is indeed corruption.

Meanwhile you and I, Mr. Editor, can rent a car and drive on the "wrong'' side of the road at 60 mph with our local licence. In the next four days I will write to the US consulate and to US Congress to lobby them to stop Bermudians from using their licences in the USA -- now that might just force this issue! At the very least, we should dispense with the medical certificate, make motor appointments available to circumvent the "Instructors'', and give any licenced individual the right to drive for three to six months here in Bermuda.

As a final comment, the examiners of TCD step way over their function -- they are testing base competency not "examining'' the applicant. I would like the opportunity to "examine'' them -- I am sure I could fail them all on some technicality.

So Dr. Brown, have you looked a little closer to home in your own Ministry. As a point of information to your readers, I have been chasing the Ministry of Transport to discuss these issues with Dr. Browne for six months.

SANDERS FRITH-BROWN Warwick Housing disaster looming May 10, 1999 Dear Sir, I sympathise with Bostock Hill people in objecting to these condos being built -- and on arable land too. Why is this allowed to happen, no wonder they do not want the public to know who they are.

These condos are not built for locals -- who cannot afford them. You can go all over Bermuda and find condos by the hundreds, all with offshore companies.

It's getting disgusting, the amount of landlords who are doing this and it should be stopped RIGHT NOW, not in one or two years when all our land is gone.

Government have got to ask where are the future Bermudians going to live; we will have no land left. What we should be doing now is getting rid of some of the people now or I see a real disaster coming.

DEVONSHIRE Put choir on Page One May 12, 1999 Dear Sir, Thank you for your editorial today. The CedarBridge Academy Show Choir certainly does deserve high praise for their recent accomplishments.

Congratulations to the choir and their director on their awards as well as the positive example they set for our youth.

I was disappointed in The Royal Gazette editorial staff because you could have reinforced this positive message by putting the CedarBridge Academy Show Choir on the front page instead of featuring the male stripper coming out of Magistrates' Court.

PAM SHAILER Devonshire