Hopes of a release from prison, a lighter sentence or a re-trial have all been dashed for 40-year-old Richard Steede and his cohort 41-year-old Lang Onley, when Court of Appeal judges threw out the pair's appeal.

Steede and Onley were convicted in September 1999 of importing cocaine and cannabis in the hollow of a set of golf clubs delivered by courier.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $2 million.

The men were seeking appeal of their conviction saying that the judge hearing the case had erred in interpretation of the law. But chairman of the appellate judges, Sir James Astwood told the pair that their appeal had no merit.

SUPPLEMENT TACKLES ALL THINGS TECHNICAL NJ Supplement tackles all things technical Underlying the simple actions of our lives, such as flicking on a light switch, telephoning a friend and driving to the airport, is a complex network of structures and systems designed to make our lives run smoothly. Often we are totally unaware of the efficiency of the systems, and it is not until something breaks down or fails to respond that we appreciate just how much we have come to depend on them. A great deal of what surrounds us is not haphazard, but carefully engineered.

The purpose of the next Newspapers In Education supplement, "Bermuda, Technically Speaking'' published in tomorrow's Royal Gazette , is to make readers more aware of the engineers and their work and the role they play in our lives.

SENATORS TO WRAP UP BUDGET DEBATE SEN Senators to wrap up Budget debate Bermuda's Senate will continue to discuss the 2001-02 Budget today. The Upper House will also consider a draft of The Bermuda Hospitals Board (Hospital Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001. The third order of the day is that a motion be moved by Government Senator Milton Scott that the House take notice of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Serious Criminal Offences in Bermuda.

NORMAL SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED TSH Normal service will be resumed Garbage collection staff will be finishing their collection run today after work was cut short yesterday as they paid respects to the late Clinton Outerbridge - a well-respected longtime employee of the section.

A Government spokesman apologised for the inconvenience.