May I call you Tony? You see, Iām known as ĪDoctorā because I hold a Ph.D., but I prefer to be called Carol. It will be a lot easier for us to get to know each other and to be forthright and honest.

First, I know I speak for this very friendly country in welcoming you to Bermuda. Although Iām not Bermudian, this community has welcomed me, helped me grow, and has nurtured me during some hard times.

I know that Bermuda welcomed you, too, during the communityās very special observance of Good Friday (hope they had a nice kite for you!) and celebration of Easter. Holidays are very special in Bermuda, and weāre glad you came.

Now, Tony, there are several things I need to mention. And thereās a bit that you might carry with you when you meet with George W. later this week.

I think Iām a pretty good person to chat with both you and George W., because my momās from Surrey (really Essex, but you know how those Essex girls get uppity sometimes!), Iām from Canada, and Iām a citizen of the U.S., and I even vote in Florida ÷ but we wonāt talk about that!

Thanks for waving at the small group with the signs that greeted you at the airport. Now in Bermuda, it takes a lot to get folks riled. I think I can speak for quite a few who, with that small group of protesters, are very unhappy about whatās happening with U.S. politics.

(By the way, the protest, even with small numbers, made national news, my folks told me from Florida). And, if you hunt down a newspaper from last year, youāll read of the protests prior to the war that included some of our top government leaders.

Now, possibly one of the first things you might have heard during your drive to Government House might have been about some problems during a cricket game recently. Yes, there was some violence, and the police are making arrests. But, you know what? There are a lot more kids who are excelling in school and leading this community than there are kids who are acting this way. You probably see this in the U.K., too. Sometimes one bad hat, and the Queenās the talk of the town for days. The nice ones go unnoticed.

While you were at Government House, did you happen to take a stroll? One thing you might have noticed from up there is that Bermuda is pretty crowded. In fact, we have quite a housing crisis.

Many folks donāt have a place of their own or are working two and three jobs just to pay rent. Itās a hot topic here, but thatās what democracies are about÷talking and working together. And Bermudians seem to be standing up and saying more, so theyāll get their feelings known. But then Iām a liberal Democrat, and we believe in voicing our beliefs ÷ (we might not want to mention that to George. W).

Meanwhile, just one more thing. This might not seem really relevant now, but one really exciting thing happened to me when I was 16 years old. I saw John F. Kennedy. Now, he didnāt know I was there. He was running for president and his motorcade passed my high school. I never saw Lyndon Johnson, but as a journalist I did meet Richard Nixon (sorry, but I liked the guy, and Pat was very nice). And, back in the Ī70s, Jimmy Carter often stopped in and visited at the newspaper where I worked. He remains my hero.

You know, that made me feel really a part of politics, even though I was just one little person.

We hope that you enjoyed your stay in Government House and in Tuckerās Town. We wish, though, that weād had a chance to come out and visit so that we could welcome you and your family with a shout, ćUm um· Hey, Byes! Itās Tony Blair and the kids!ä Maybe youāll do that before you go? Whatās better than a handshake to make people feel a bond with each other?

Finally, I donāt know if youāve heard of the talk of independence. Iām not Bermudian, so I donāt pretend to speak for Bermudians. But I know people in general, and if they donāt feel camaraderie with their leaders, theyāre going to make other choices. Just a thought.

Meanwhile, Tony, thanks for your ear!

Have a safe trip, tell George and and his family Hi, and please pass on my concerns. If you missed the news, at least 14 more young people from the U.S. died last weekend, and a private citizen is being terrorized as a hostage. I know that the U.K. has lost sons and daughters too. We support our troops and we are counting on you both. (P.S. Please tell George I sent an ćoopsä about that memo!)

Bye·for now!