group planted a Bermuda cedar at the Boer Cemetery on Long Island yesterday.

Old Mutual Bermuda is following a company-wide gesture by its parent company, Old Mutual PLC, in which every office and branch of the Southern Hemisphere firm is planting a tree.

The move celebrates the company's July 12 completion of a massive transformation and demutualisation when it listed its stock on exchanges in London, Johannesburg, Namibia, Malawi and Harare.

The Bermuda National Trust assisted in the tree planting which will help celebrate a new beginning and future growth for the company.

In a special message to employees, company chairman Mike Levett and his team asked staff to nurture the trees in the same way they would nurture the company's business.

The South African connection to the cemetery where 40 Boer prisoners of war who died in Bermuda between 1901 and 1903 are buried made the location a fitting choice for the company, noted a trust spokesperson.

BIU BRASS ADDRESSES UN CON UNS BIU brass addresses UN Bermuda's efforts to create a sustainable tourism industry were highlighted at a meeting of the United Nations.

Bermuda Industrial Union hotel division president Herbie Bascome spoke to 400 delegates in New York at a UN conference on sustainable tourism.

Mr. Bascome spoke of Bermuda's attempts to revitalise tourism so it benefitted the entire Island, not just environmentally, and provided future opportunities for everyone.

The Southampton Princess sous chef told the conference of the various partnerships, in conjunction with management consultants Monitor and other groups, that were beginning to tackle some of the issues facing the industry.

And he believes that other nations could benefit from Bermuda's example, if it is successful.

"When I was at the conference, listening to other countries talk about what they were doing, I thought we could learn alot from each other,'' he said.

"I just felt I had to get up and say something.'' CRUISE SHIP OPERATORS HONOURED SHI AWD Cruise ship operators honoured Two of Bermuda's regular cruise ship callers have been honoured in travel industry awards.

Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International won top honours at the annual National Association of Cruise Only Agencies' (NACOA) banquet held in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The lines, which are owned by the same parent company, operate the Zenith , Horizon and Nordic Empress to Bermuda.

More than 700 members of NACOA, Celebrity Cruises President Richard E. Sasso was named "Cruise Line Executive of the Year.'' And Celebrity Cruises received top recognition as "Cruise Line Most Supportive to Agents'', with Royal Caribbean International receiving the award for "Cruise Line With the Best 'Meet & Greet' Transfer Program'' for the third consecutive year.

Among its latest products and services, Celebrity Cruises has introduced CruiseScope, a telescope that offers travel agents and their clients a unique 3-D view of ship interiors.

TEENAGER'S STILL ON THE RUN POL Teenager's still on the run A teenager is still on the run this morning after he gave Police the slip during an investigation last week.

Jeron Douglas and a partner escaped from Police custody on July 12 as they were being taken to a Shelly Bay, Hamilton Parish location to recover allegedly stolen property.

The other boy was found in the water a short time later but Douglas, 15, has escaped the dragnet.

He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, knee length denim shorts, ankle socks and white Addidas sneakers.

Anyone with information about Douglas' whereabouts are asked to contact Police at 295-0011.