Dear Sir, I received some information today concerning chequing accounts from my bank of 30 years. I am being asked to choose between two options by the 22nd November or the bank will choose option two (2) for me.

Option one (1) allows me to have a minimum balance as small as I choose but then charges me $1 for every cheque written.

Option two (2) states that I must have a minimum daily balance of $2,000 for which I receive ten (10) FREE items, pay 45 cents for every cheque after that and am debited a monthly charge of $6 if the daily balance is under $2,000. On the same day that I received this leaflet I hear on the news that the same bank made an additional profit of 7 percent for the quarter.

It seems to me that this is a blatant case of discrimination against those of us who have to use all or much of our income during the month to pay our bills. Obviously, those who made up the new policy can afford to have $2,000 in their chequing account earning no interest for them, but yielding $120-200 per annum for the bank, on each account, where the customer chooses Option two, thus boosting profits. Do they think we have no sense? On the one hand, if I choose option one and don't want to pay $1 for every cheque, I have to go to each business where I need to pay bills and pay cash at each one or use a debit/credit card. I lose the option of getting a discount of five percent on my groceries on Wednesdays if I use a card and still get charged one dollar per cheque for payments to the plumber, the roof painter and hardware store, who don't happen to have an office in Hamilton, unless I choose to travel to wherever their base happens to be.

In many countries, banks now pay customers interest on their chequing accounts so how is it that our banks charge us so much, expect us to have a spare $2,000 to keep in the account and then spend large sums of our money on sports events, private school facilities and other charities? I like to choose the charities to which I subscribe, so if I choose option two (2) can I choose to give the interest from my $2,000 to PRIDE, BFAB or the BFA? I am reluctant to change banks, because I'm sure their options are similar, but I do think it's time that we, the customers, spoke up and demanded interest on our chequing accounts, call a halt to increased charges and say no to giving the interest earned on our accounts to charity. The extra seven percent profit, already reported, could be used to reduce charges to customers.

Anyone have $2,000 to lend me?? NO MONEY TO WASTE Paget Who are they fooling? November 30, 1999 Dear Sir, A certain paint company -- which shall remain nameless but is located across from Lindo's in Devonshire -- is advertising one of its brands as follows: $26.50 per gallon and $132.50 per five gallons.

Now you can fool some of the people some of the time etc., but you can't fool me: 26.5 times 5 equals 132.5. Wot! no discount for buying the larger quantity and at Christmastime yet! The advertisement also boasts another product as "a big 2 Gallon size''. How does that rate with the small 2 gallon size? Come on now; two gallons is two gallons no matter how it is presented.

On a completely different subject; Much has been made recently of frequent trips overseas by members of the Government. But there is a bright side to this. It is that the longer politicians stay out of their country the less confusion they cause at home.

PETER J. WILLCOCKS Smith's Parish Why cut ferry service? December 1, 1999 Dear Sir, It would seem obvious to someone of normal intelligence that, to ease the traffic problem, we should make more use of our waterways. Why then is The People's Government doing the opposite and reducing the Paget and Warwick ferry service? The answer is, of course, that they've been so busy spending our money over the last year on trips and fancy cars, that merely doubling people's land tax is not enough. My advice to them is to find another way to make up for their irresponsible spending.

The evening trip around Hamilton Harbour is a traditional tourist pastime going back more than 50 years. I suggest they put the same effort into preserving this tradition as they are trying to re-name our Public Holidays.

CHRIS BROADHURST Helping lost souls December 3, 1999 Dear Sir, Regarding the Salvation Army Hostel article on Friday December 3: At some point in their lives, most people experience a dramatic new change to the routine they have become accustomed to in adulthood. This is said to be stressful and some psychologists even prioritise and give stress ratings to the various disruptions. Top of the list is, of course, death of a spouse or loved one, then war and disaster, divorce or loss of an important personal relationship, then loss of home, loss of job, a major move far away from friends and relatives, personal or family illness, and so on.

Now rarely do people experience more than one of these changes at a time. Like a foundation, removing one stone will not topple the structure -- but pull out too many and the house falls apart -- if you talk to people living on the street, this is often what happened -- a cascade of events that caused the house to topple -- how does one put it back up again? Alone and without resources or a support network, these people lose their will because they have lost hope and faith in themselves -- achievement and success come from faith -- faith in one's self. This is the role of the Salvation Army -- to restore faith in lost souls -- this is the vision and the mission -- it is not an easy task because a lost soul is often an angry soul -- trying to destroy the body or at least forget the pain with drugs, alcohol and violence -- until the soul wants to heal and find faith again and hope again. The Army can only provide shelter and food and a light at the end of the tunnel.

Part of healing is taking back responsibility for one's self. Work is a good sign, saving is a better sign, paying for shelter and food is a big step to finding self-esteem again. The Army provides for those unable to provide for themselves, but when one is truly beginning to take responsibility for one's fate it is good to start paying a portion of income for shelter and food. It is good for healing self-esteem and faith and hope. This should be a token and fair portion of income that still allows rapid saving for a new life and in return these people who are truly on their way to healing and freedom should get a bed they can depend on to be there each night and a locker to store their essentials. A home can be as simple as a bed and a locker -- ask any traveller -- everyone needs a sense of place and safety to return to for the night. This is the first stone in re-building the foundation. The Army does provide this opportunity for those who are ready for personal responsibility once again -- this is a good final transition. Give the person a bed and a locker and a 10 p.m. curfew like any traveller's hostel as long as he is willing to pay a token portion of his income, like 10 percent weekly or $5./night, whichever is lower and review his situation every month until he can leave with pride, the best proof of healing.

Any drugs or alcohol or violence or curfew violations, of course, drops people back to level one emergency hostel with no privileges. Every Army needs incentives. A bed and locker and 10 p.m. curfew is a good incentive to work for, on the path to healing. Worth paying for.

A WELL-HEALED SOUL Pembroke Stop the petty squabbling November 26, 1999 Dear Sir, Re: Party squabbles Versus Parliamentary debate etc.

The verbal barbs are flying back and forth, elements of truth coming from either side and as an observer I feel like I'm trying to keep my eye on the ball in a fast moving game of ping pong. If it were getting us beyond the squabbling state, fine, -- but it's not. Sour grapes make poor bedfellows and there is now enough going around to start a local vineyard.

Had the former Government been so very bad, we wouldn't be the solvent and enviable little nation that we are today and if they hadn't soft-pedalled decisive issues in an attempt to secure voter's interest, they might not have lost their place.

So, don't be so quick to slur and slander -- you were given a healthy climate in which to run the "New Bermuda'', so run it and stop slinging venom -- it's so self-denigrating. Time will be the judge in any event! From African origins comes this wise old saying: A new broom sweeps clean, but the old one knows all the corners! So try working together...you might like it, and we, the community of voters, certainly would! A BORED WATCHER Devonshire