Dear Editor,

I observed a letter in your newspaper of 28.6.2001 titled `Our decline predated the mini-bus culture' by Mr T F Trotman, and which was in response to mine which was published on 10.6.200l captioned `The mini bus culture contributes to educational decline.' [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ]

It is noteworthy that my letter did not seek to explain the origin of the decline or its path, but merely sought to address the present situation, which Mr Trotman seemed to have missed or conveniently overlooked.

It is timely that a first world diplomat recently exhorted school children at a function to 'read,' 'read,' 'read.'

In that connection I wish that heads of schools would look at the two letters mentioned above and conclude that if a precis exercise was done by their students on the content of my letter, it would reveal that Mr Trotman in his comment sought not to address a most salient point which I raised, to wit, the vulgar lyrics and the noise nuisance. How, may I ask, is a poverty alleviation programme to remove the noise nuisance, when from a recent experience I concluded that both a conductor and driver of a minibus, in my request for a stop could not assimilate the difference between George Street with the accent on the 'George' not 'Garge' and 'John' Street, because of an obvious hearing impairment due to their continued exposure to the `boom-boom' in their bus? Furthermore, does Mr Trotman experience the noise nuisance?