It is said when one force has absolute power, it corrupts absolutely. There is power and there is true power .

What is true power ? If you try to contain it, it would never be found, for true power lives for us all, as we all live for it.

To walk a straight line, each foot must step in front of each other.

The lesson to be learned is the one naturally taught, only now riddled through corruption.

This is called understanding influence.

GERMAINE (RICO) SMITH Pembroke Nothing BUT silence January 31, 2000 Dear Sir, Your correspondent, whose letter was in your paper the third week in January, told of an encounter with a Bahamian who told him or her that the Pindling government, upon assuming power, appointed unqualified and incompetent friends to high-paying positions.

This action, according to the story caused much trouble and distress to the country.

I, being acquainted with people inside Bahamas and outside, put this to those people. I was told that nothing like that happened.

They did agree that it had been discovered Sir Lynden had problems. No doubt the writer suggested the PLP is doing or has done the same thing. Well I who studies their every move, know that no such thing has taken place. I also studied every move of the former Government. That is all I will write about that for now.

On another subject: I hope the BUT will realise what is important as we in this Country go forward. It did not appear that their officers or flooring members patronised the retirement banquet of our Dr. Marion Robinson.

Certainly no one spoke up as a BUT representative. It seems that with the number of representatives from other bodies including the Association of School Principals of Bermuda she had to be ably spoken for by my son.

It is my feeling Dr. Robinson's affair was boycotted by the BUT because of the decision of the Arbitration in the latest dispute with Government.

But I say that after 17 years dealing with a monumental reorganisation of education which was sorely needed, that organisation should express appreciation.

On another subject; I offer encouragement to Mr. Esme Trott at Victor Scott School. Keep up the good work, mame.

I am looking for the straightening out of the Regiment brass by the best investigators appointed.

ROSS TUZO Warwick Still paying as we go January 31, 2000 Dear Sir, Every time I pick up the newspaper and read of more ventures and schemes totalling millions of dollars, I get more alarmed as to what is to happen to find the money to pay for everything.

People say "the land taxes have already been raised and they can't raise them again''. Oh no? Well I am sure I am not the only one to see that the tax amounts have been set and the amount payable is currently 40 percent of it.

That is fine, for now, but I can see that when more money is needed there is nothing to prevent the percentage from being changed to 50, 75, even 100 percent.

That has the effect of not increasing the tax but it does increase the amount we have to pay. There are so many areas that are the source of increasing costs for seniors on fixed incomes.

With the increased costs of taxes and maintenance, we are forced to raise the rents on our property and that in turn causes hardship for other senior pensioners who have to pay the increase.

We have been informed that if our property is only 50 percent insured, the Insurance Company will only pay 50 percent of any claims.

The indication is that we are under-insured and will have to seriously consider increased costs in that direction. As seniors, we are getting to the place where we cannot do the heavy repair work, painting etc. that we used to do -- so we face rising costs in that area as well... and I won't even get into Health Insurance, Prescriptions and all that.

And after this recital of woes, someone always says, "but you do travel, don't you?'' Yes, we do, but after working since we left school until retirement ages, providing our own support when no pensions are available to us (except one non-Contributory Pension and 70 percent of one contributory pension paid through the old age security scheme) don't you think we are entitled to enjoy some of the results of our efforts? Paying it out to Government for excessive travel, luxury cars and grandiose schemes is not my idea of enjoying the fruits of our labours.

WORRIED IN WARWICK It's all in the telling February 1, 2000 Dear Sir, Your correspondent T. Selassie is "telling it like it is''. The writer goes on to say "they were the ones who were kidnapping and forced etc''.

I have a slight problem with the word "kidnapped''. Whilst I was not present on the slave ships, it seems to me that the slaves were often sold to the white slave traders by black tribal chiefs and, to the best of my knowledge (and I stand to be corrected) the people were never kidnapped.

The sad part is that slavery is still going on in the world today and we should be doing everything possible to stop such illegal traffic.

Let's get our facts correct if we're "telling it like it is''.

ANTONY SIESE City of Hamilton E-biz or bust February 3, 2000 Dear Sir, I am expressing my disgust that Government regulations for e-commerce companies starting up here do not require them to show some sort of financial stability up front.

Please correct me if I am wrong. If they do then how can we have a company who has been here for less than a year run into problems of only paying back debts of 50 cents to the dollar? This has left staff unemployed -- including dedicated Bermudians who tried to make a difference in the e-commerce field.

To my knowledge, the only staff re-employed by OECommerce Ltd. is a total of three employee (one is Bermudian) from EOCnet.com out of the nine or 10 staff.

What has happened to the rest of the Bermudians? They are still unemployed since November, I presume, while the foreigners return to their native country and find other employment without a problem.

Yet, we are encouraging young Bermudians to get educated for e-business when these businesses cannot even hold their own to get started. I sure would not want my child taking that risk, although there are banks and Internet companies who would probably accept their knowledge.

Maybe these companies do not realise the cost of operating an e-business from Bermuda and the cost of living here as well. When they decide to hire Bermudians for some positions and in turn still provide expenses for foreigners input into their company, with the cost of airfares itself could drain a company long after six months.

This is not the first electronic based company to leave our shores. In 1998, a company named Full Service Trade System, Ltd. packed up and left after having changes of three CEOs within the three years it existed here. And now this company, where the CEO resigned after they were already on the rocks. Please! I should not expect any answer to any of these questions or comments, as a blind eye seems to be cast when issues of this nature occur -- just like the various situations involving immigration procedures or our hotel workers' compensation when a hotel shuts its doors.

Are we just people to be used and abused by whomever chooses too? Or are we to stand up and fight back for what is common decency to any human being regardless of their position in that company.

Some tips, which I feel, should be taken into consideration before any e-business operates here: Be sure they are able to cover at least six months to one year's salary for each employee; do not hold your employees as hostages -- string them along, using them to try to benefit your company while you know the end is near; do not try to run the company beyond their financial means. (Rents, hotel cost, taxes, insurance payments, etc.); Last but not least - your staff do have a life beyond your company's existence while in Bermuda. I know I have been there! DISGUSTED AND FED UP Hamilton Manie's memory lapse January 25, 2000 Dear Sir, Manie J. Ible needs a better memory, re: "I don't recall Bermudians shooting their leaders.'' Where was he in the winter of 1973 when two Bermudians shot the Governor, the Commissioner of Police and three others? Believe me, the news went worldwide.

ONE WHO KNOWS Paget Plea to Nelson Bascome Dear Sir, Please allow me to state that I'm very disappointed at the present Hospitals Board and its chairman Mr. Raymonde Dill on making an unacceptable decision not to cover medical mental health patients with assisted mental medication and covered out-patient health visits to the St. Brendan's psychiatrist.

I begin by saying I had a nervous breakdown when I was 13 years old and then again at age 19. For the past 33 years, the hospital board (St. Brendan's) has given me medication because my insurance company doesn't pay for all mental health visits or pay in full for medication which I have to take for the rest of my life.

I now have to pay for doctors' visits and pills. This decision will cause sick mental patients not to attend the doctor for help.

I have already missed two appointments. To put it simply, I can't afford $83 a visit charged by Bermuda Hospitals Board. I do talk to fellow patients and they have said the same.

Well Mr. Minister, Hon. Nelson Bascome, Minister of Health, what's happened all of a sudden in this new Bermuda. I'm asking and pleading with the Health Minister to return to giving me the help I desperately need and have been getting for the past 33 years.

ST. BRENDAN'S OUT-PATIENT Warwick