Golly gee, my family and I have been making a huge mistake! Every year, we travel from Boston to New Hampshire in a chauffeur-driven stretch limousine, but we didn't realise we needed a Chief of Staff or bodyguard to accompany us to ward off the curious natives.

Silly us! We enjoyed chatting with the people who thought the limo might contain celebrities.

When we go up again this autumn, will the government provide us with a Chief of Staff for our protection, and, since we're paying for the Premier's, will the Government pay for ours? Anxiously awaiting a reply.

TERRIFIED TRAVELLER Pembroke All things in moderation May 11, 1999 Dear Sir, I wish to respond to a letter written by Mr. Rodney Trott.

Yes, God did create both marijuana and poison ivy and he also gave man the intelligence to tell the difference. Well, the vast majority any way.

Yes marijuana can be dangerous, just like alcohol and tobacco, so why is only marijuana illegal? The fact is that alcohol intended for human consumption is regulated (to death some would say) whilst tobacco (which kills regularly) is sparsely regulated and marijuana is illegal, although no death has ever been directly linked to weed. No death! To Dr. Godwin and Jahkey, you know the benefits of marijuana use if used wisely, long life and happiness.

To Mr. Trott, if you have an open mind and a good heart buy a copy of `Hightimes' magazine, read it and write again.

SPANISH POINT VOTER Cut out the junk May 14, 1999 Dear Sir, Do you think there will ever be a time again when the Bermuda Telephone Company (BTC) produces a telephone book with only telephone information and a list of telephone numbers all in the same type size and without aquas and yellows and all capitals and other general junk? Let's have some competition.

PAGET Ante up for Police May 19, 1999 Dear Sir, I guess what I cannot understand is why there is such a hold-up on paying the Police officers on the Island when we can increase the AG's salary to a ridiculous amount of money without blinking an eye? Plus, there is the possibility of giving all the MPs a raise -- who, if I am not mistaken, have only been on the job since the November, 1998 election.

Most employers don't give their staff a salary increase until after a complete year of work so why is it that the men and women of the Bermuda Police Service, who have to take risks, be physically fit and work all hours of the day and night, can't even get a well deserved pay raise? I'm sure if Paula Cox was to receive a salary increase, she wouldn't want it spread over a four-year period. So why should the Police have to wait? It's bad enough that Government keeps "humming and hawing'' over recruiting from overseas. It's plain to see that not enough locals are interested in becoming police officers.

I'm not really sure what the Government is waiting for. I have seen the physical requirements of becoming an officer here and can't imagine even trying to complete one-tenth of the sit ups or push ups that have to be done.

Yet there are sections of the public that don't support the men and women of the Police force.

How many of you would work if you were not appreciated? But, we expect the men and women of the force to show up every day for work and on top of it all, they get abuse from sectors of the public.

The riot situation on Mother's Day is proof of that. Is society that "sick'' that they want to see lewd acts and obstruct the Police by throwing bottles, when they are called out to intervene? I used to like cantaloupe until I read the story in the paper! The people have so many volatile situations to handle on a daily basis, sometimes I feel as if I am living in one of the big cities in the US.

I am a Bermudian who had the fortune of working overseas for several years.

Coming back here has been disappointing. The Island is still beautiful, but the attitudes of the people have really disintegrated.

I can fully understand why there is talk amongst the Police of striking. I do, however, feel sorry for the shift that will be coming off of a long night of duty if their fellow officers don't show up to relieve them.

Maybe a simple "yes'' to a pay increase, "effective immediately'', will resolve the situation for the time being. Of course an apology would also help! SUPPORTER OF MEN IN BLUE City of Hamilton Go native on Frog Lane May 18, 1999 Dear Sir, Driving along Frog Lane and reminiscing when it used to be a charming old Bermuda street -- it is now sad to see all the old charm has disappeared.

One realises that progress is essential and the Olympic-sited stadium a necessity for our future generations, but so much more could have been done to this lane to retain some of its charm.

Instead of (almost 100) palm trees being planted, a different variety would look so much more attractive. Or, for that matter, one of our other endemic trees such as the olive wood. The area has become a vast open space with farm land on the one side and the sports facility on the other.

Cedars would have been perfect as they stand up to our weather, being native, provide shade in a much-needed area and are also home to many of our bird life.

As far as I know the only thing palms are home to are rats! Palms would have been excellent on the western side as there is not much space and could have broken up the huge wall.

And, so much more thought could be given to the planting around our parks.

There are so many lovely flowering trees such as the jacaranda, the pink shower, the golden shower and the poinciana.

The poinciana, so popular with our ancestors, seems to be one of many that has been forgotten. Wouldn't they be wonderful planted in the park on Parsons Road or in the Shelly Bay park and the Loyal Hill children's playground etc.

They're wonderful shade trees in the summer, let in the light in the winter and are a child's delight to climb when growing up.

As more and more buildings go up around our Island more and more trees will be required to give relief from the heat. To me it is very sad that more thought and imagination has not been given to the planting around our Island.

PATSY PHILLIPS Pembroke Sentence doesn't "fit'' April 20, 1999 Dear Sir, I, as one of Ashanti Smith's first cousins, am writing with deep concern over the sentence given to Selwyn Berkeley.

I was always led to believe the law was here to protect and to serve and that the punishment should fit the crime. How can one year in prison possibly "fit'' this crime? This man not only ended the life of Ashanti and put the lives of many others in great danger by driving recklessly, but he ruined the lives of all those close to Ashanti.

He ruined the life of Ashanti's wife, his three children, his parents, his brother, his cousins, aunts, uncles and friends -- and for all this Selwyn gets one year in prison.

Although Selwyn and Ashanti were best friends, the fact still remains that because of Selwyn's careless actions and reckless driving Ashanti is no longer alive. I received two years off the road not too long ago, for merely speeding, yet this man takes a life and injures three and also receives two years off the road (one of which will be served while in prison).

Does the law honestly feel that they are `protecting' the people of Bermuda with this sentence? Do they honestly feel that we will be safe with him on the road in two years? I personally believe that he should never be allowed behind the wheel of a car again.

I hope that once out of prison (which will probably be in six months) the lasting pain and sorrow that Selwyn will see in the eyes of Ashanti's loved ones will prove to be enough punishment as Bermuda's justice system does not seem to be doing a good job.

SHARNELLE TURINI Paget Restaurant "rolled'' me May 11, 1999 The following letter was sent to the Consumer Affairs Bureau and was copied to The Royal Gazette .

Dear Sir, We would like to bring the following to your attention.

We have two timeshare apartments at the St. George's Club and spent the last week of April there.

Since we do not cook when on vacation, we have dinner every night at a local restaurant. One such was "Freddie's'' in St. George's.

Our party was five persons. We ordered our dinner and were served a basket of small rolls.

Since dinner still had not arrived about 45 minutes later, we asked for some more rolls. The two young persons in our party were hungry. We received another basket of five small rolls.

Our dinner finally came and the food was good. I then asked for the bill which came to $132. There was an item of $5 misc. on the bill, so I asked what that was for.

I was informed that it was for the extra five small rolls -- $1 per piece! We will of course never return to that restaurant and I also informed several members of the St. George's Club not to order more rolls there, since they cost $1 each.

I have travelled many times around the world, eaten in hundreds of restaurants and have never had that experience. It is not the $5 -- it's the principle.

Since your (tourism) bureau is interested in such matters, so that tourists are not ripped off, you might want to look into this.

FELIX HERTZKA Amherst, N.H.