based on European Commission law, the requirement for six-month quarantine for pets has been removed for properly treated animals moved to and from the UK and within the European Union. This treatment involves microchipping, vaccinating against rabies and bloodtesting, followed by a mandatory six-month wait before entry is permitted. The UK Government is now examining the inclusion in the new Pet Travel Scheme of certain rabies-free islands from April 2001. They have also undertaken to consider animals from North America at some later date.

We are aware of great numbers of people around the world who have refused or postponed relocation to UK due to this cruel restriction. We do not believe that there is any logical or scientific justification for their exclusion and aim to bring pressure to bear to achieve earliest possible inclusion of these rabies-free islands and North America. To this end we welcome contact and support from those wishing to travel to the UK with their pets, in order to give more weight to our arguments.

QUAFF is a volunteer, non-profit membership organisation that has brought considerable pressure to bear, supported by its many members around the world.

We can be contacted by e-mail or through our website URL below.

JUNE HAMILTON Quarantine Abolition Fighting Fund United Kingdom http://freespace.virgin.net/simon.green/ A Bermudian experience April 5, 2000 Dear Sir, The recent comment was: "That really was a Bermudian experience.'' So I asked would you explain that to me.

"There were white people and black people in attendance; there were some very wealthy people and lots of poor people. There were persons who were Christian and even several of Muslim persuasion. It was the funeral of a local farmer.

People who were Portuguese and English all worshipping and singing together; several of the hymns were such as the widely known `How Great Thou Art.' But everyone was thrilled with the cantor's rendition of `On Eagle's Wings'. The entire service was a powerful expression of Resurrection and newness of life; it was an experience of the church catholic. People of all walks of life and different faith expressions gathered together to celebrate the death, burial, and entry into eternal life of one of God's `Little People' who had made his livelihood and cared for his family by the labour of his hands and working the earth.

"Everyone was moved when a large spray of Bermuda Easter Lilies was placed on the coffin instead of the traditional white liturgical pall, which is intended to signify the white garment placed on us at the time of our Baptism. The lilies not only signified that but even more so the new life of Resurrection.

It was even significant that a back hoe was placed beside the coffin to remind us of the occupation of this man whose claim to fame, like that of St.

Isidore, was to till the soil and to give life.

"Everyone present could identify with these symbols which drew the participants together into a significant bond of unity. That's why I felt it was a true expression of ourselves as Bermudian.'' A BYSTANDER Paget Parents stand strong March 24, 2000 Dear Sir, I must state as a past president of three public school's PTSAs, I must throw my full support behind the parents of St. George's Prep PTSA. I urge them to keep up the fight to keep two form entry at their school. I must, though, state sadness of remarks made by a member that the Premier is a liar. I personally would use other proper style of statements e.g. remarks made by the Hon. Madam Premier were untrue, not a liar. As an active member of PTSAs in Bermuda and presently an executive of a senior school PTSA I find it hard to believe Madam Premier as she stated was unaware of the changes at St. George's Prep -- after all she is the representative of education in the House of Assembly so she definitely had to know of the Minister of Education's Milton Scott who is Education Minister, not an elected member of Parliament. So she is his messenger for Education discussions and correspondence. Again parents of St. George's Prep, stand strong.

SUPPORTIVE MEMBER Senior School PTSA P.S. It's amazing when the PLP was in opposition the party always supported taxpayers and voters signing petitions. Has this changed, Madam Hon. Premier, your remarks where there is no need to petition the PLP Government. I'm a bit confused. Democratic action for all.

Disgusting remarks March 24, 2000 Dear Sir, Allow me to state my disgust to remarks made by Dame Lois Browne Evans MP JP in attacking the Hon. Kim Young MP calling her a racist. As a born black Bermudian, those attacks on an elected Hon. Member are totally unacceptable and disgusting. I have known Hon. Kim Young for over 30 years and find her a decent and well respected lady in both communities, black and white. When the Hon. Kim Young came to Bermuda in the early '60s she was head nurse on Harbour Ward at KEMH. She lobbied for more black Bermudians to take up nursing and always supported the nurses assistant programme.

Lately, while being the opposition member for health and housing Mrs. Young has assisted and got contracts for black Bermudians to purchase affordable homes and yes, Mr. Editor she does have black connections in her family. A member is married to a black human being. So again I state, Dame Lois Evans is a deplorable example of a Government Member making attacks on a Member of the Hon. House. Dame Lois if you had any respect for yourself and the voting Mr.

and Mrs. public, you would outrightly take your disgusting attacks back. Oh yes, thank you Mr. Speaker Hon. Stanley Lowe for disciplining Dame Lois.

A VOTER Warwick Thanks for the help April 2, 2000 Dear Sir, I would like to express thanks to Lee White and The Little Theatre for the generous gesture of making the premiere showing of "Mission to Mars'' available to The Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association as a fund-raising event.

The Optimist is the largest class of dinghy in the world with 160,000 boats actively raced. The aim of BODA is to promote the sport for young sailors of all backgrounds, our fund-raising events and the generosity of sponsors, particularly Harrington International, help make this possible.

STUART THOMPSON BODA President ZBM taints tint report April 3, 2000 Dear Sir, I am writing to convey my sincere disgust at the ZBM news cameraman and crew.

Upon watching the news on Tuesday March 28, I was shocked to see my car used as an example of illegal tint. I immediately lodged a complaint and was told that the responsible person/people would be spoken to.

Either he spoke and they did not listen or he did not mention it at all as it now serves as the background for the "illegal tint'' headline.

To add insult to injury on Friday's news a second Police officer said that only a minority of individuals were in contravention of this new and immediately enforced policy.

The news reporter then commented, "Of a random sample of cars in the ZBM car park, only one was found to have illegal tint.'' How can you randomly sample an area where residents park? Why not sample a public area such as City Hall or Bull's Head car parks.

Better yet sample the Police Headquarters in Prospect where there are quite a few cars with illegal tint on them.

The problem for me is not tint. My problem is that I happen to live in the apartments that share the car park with workers and visitors alike. I, unlike them, cannot leave my car at home to avoid being randomly sampled as it is already at home in ZBM's car park.

The camera crew and reporters showed a blatant lack of respect and consideration for my privacy. I sincerely hope this is the last time I see any of my property on the news ever without my consent.

TARGET Devonshire We must overcome April 6, 2000 Dear Sir, We should not seek mere tolerance between people of different colours and mixtures. What we should aim at is a society in which mankind lives together in mutual harmony, respect and affection, where the values of a person have nothing at all to do with one's colour. No society will achieve its true goal until colour ceases to have psychological importance in the mind of the society.

With the PLP Government leading the way, we are well on the way down the right road. There are many people from various walks of life who have tried to make Bermuda work in spite of our polarised colonial situation. The real theme of the history of Bermuda cannot only be about how one group, however oppressed, threw off its oppressors against the odds. The real theme of our history is the story of how liberation was won on November 9, 1998 and how we must overcome the bitter legacy of oppression under the UBP and colonialism which divided us and prevented us from building a United Bermuda.

Bermuda owes a debt of gratitude to the late L. F. Wade, former leader of the PLP, for his dispassionate balance often against the odds of heroics, racist history and contemporary proclamations.

RAYMOND RUSSELL SR.

Pembroke Calling all Police April 8, 2000 Dear Sir, I am writing to request your assistance in locating any residents who were serving members of the Bermuda Police Force in 1963/4/5. Later this month I will be returning to Bermuda, to participate in the first Bermuda Invitational Town Crier Championship. It is being organised by E. Michael Jones, Town Crier of St. George's, in which town I began my Police service. Over the years, my contact with Bermuda has eroded, hence my request to you.

Contact with me can be secured by phone or fax, at 250-752-7368.My residence is on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, where I am the Town Crier for Qualicum Beach. My feelings of anticipation and joy, at the prospect of returning to Bermuda, are difficult to express. The possibility of meeting some old friends enhances this further. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

LEONARD H. MUSTARD (ex Constable No.221) Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island