Bermuda is known for its friendly cabbies, but Mr. Carlton Mateen may operate the sweetest taxi of all.

For the past four years Mr. Mateen has been handing out Bermuda honey jars and sticks to the visitors who tour with him.

Along with the honey the former beekeeper gives out a business card with a picture of him standing next to his taxi. He said that helps stimulate business. Mr. Mateen also has special Christmas business cards for those who use his services on a regular basis.

"I do it just to be different,'' he said. "You have to be different and creative to sell your business, it is the only way that people will remember you.'' And people do remember him. As recently as last Friday, Tourism Minister David Dodwell sang his praises in the House of Assembly.

"If we always had that kind of person as a good will ambassador in Bermuda, we could do no wrong,'' he said.

Mr. Mateen said it was important to make people happy and keep the tours hassle-free.

"If you treat people right you will get the returns,'' he said.

Last week Thursday he catered to a group of travel agents from North Carolina.

At the end of their trip for "something extra'' he gave them honey, thank-you cards and certificates to say they had visited Bermuda.

He also gave a Bermuda cedar tray to one of the men after his name was drawn out of a basket.

Mr. Mateen receives calls from all over the United States and Canada from people who appreciated his service.

Some call to say how much they are enjoying the honey while others call to arrange taxi services on subsequent trips to Bermuda.

He was recently called by a Canadian man who wanted a tour guide for the day.

The man learned about Mr. Mateen from his wife who had been in Bermuda in November for a dog show.

Mr. Mateen's talents are not limited to the taxi service. He studied printing and publishing at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto.

Mr. Mateen has worked in many different occupations throughout his life, including the hotel industry. While in Canada he worked on the railway during the summers. His duties included working as a dispatcher, a conductor, a bellman, a houseman and a bell captain.

He also has a lot of experience in printing and publishing. He has worked with offset printing and has worked as a linotype operator, a camera man, a proofreader and a manager.