debate. The first part of the report was carried in Saturday's newspaper.

A new MP has defended Government's decision to hold a public holiday on January 4 to celebrate the change of government.

In his maiden speech in the House of Assembly, the Rev. Dr. Wilbur Lowe (PLP) hit back at criticisms that the holiday could cost the Island $1 million.

"You can't put a price on some things,'' he said. "You can't put a price on spirit.

"You can't put a dollar value of something that will make young people stand up with pride.'' Rev. Lowe, speaking during Friday's debate on the Throne Speech, told members that he was proud to be part of a Government that put the people's interests first.

"People first, people first, people first,'' he said. "When people are put first we believe that we can accomplish whatever we set our minds to.'' And he said he believed that the "proud'' people of Bermuda could sell the Island to visitors.

"The visitor's experience must begin with the people,'' he said. "We must give them a Bermuda experience.'' But he conceded there was much to be done on the tourism front and said that the work must start from the grass roots.

Rev. Lowe's St. George's South running mate Arthur Pitcher promised his constituents that he would always be available to them and would do his best to address their needs.

And he advised the young people of Bermuda to choose careers based on their love of a certain profession, not based on money.

"Not all of us will be doctors, lawyers or businessmen.'' Youth and Sport Minister Dennis Lister informed the House that his ministry would follow through on a number of initiatives set up by the UBP.

"We will be continuing the National Sports Centre,'' he said. "But we will make sure it will meet the needs of the people.

"Our approach is about developing sports and young people.'' Mr. Lister said the project would have the input of the people that will use the facility to make sure that their needs were being met.

And he said the proposed West End Community Centre would not just be a place to fulfil the recreational needs of the community.

"It will address the social needs of the community it serves.'' Mr. Lister also pledged to support the Island's sporting clubs, noting that it would be useless to build a first class sporting centre while the individual sporting clubs were suffering.

Elvin James (PLP) backed Mr. Lister's stance in his maiden speech in the House.

And the Warwick West MP blasted the UBP for not promoting sports while they were the Government.

"Nothing is mentioned in the Key to Partnership about sports,'' he said.

"The former Government was guilty of not producing a plan on sports.'' Mr. James called sports one of the "international languages'' which helped to bridge racism.

"It helps to bring people together,'' he said. "It's time to give it the due it deserves.

"It teaches self-respect, self-esteem and instils discipline.'' And he suggested that the Westgate Correctional Facility could benefit from sports, teaching inmates self-respect and discipline.

Mr. James added that the PLP Government would work to improve the image of the Island's sport's clubs from that of just being `watering holes''.

"We will return them to the glory they once had.'' Walter Lister (PLP) also argued the January 4 holiday was worth the million dollar expense.

And he noted that if the UBP was so worried about saving money, they would have stopped annual voter registration.

Mr. Lister told the House that the PLP Government would bring legislation forward that was "reasonable''.

"That's all people ask of us,'' he said.

But he warned the new Government would not always "get it right'' and asked the public to forgive them when they got it wrong.

"We are not perfect but we strive for it,'' he said. "We are human and will make mistakes.

"We hope that we will be forgiven when we make them but we will strive to get it right.'' Cole Simons (UBP) focused on the Island's seniors during his maiden speech.

He commended the PLP for their efforts for the elderly and their plans to refurbish the seniors' homes.

But he expressed his displeasure that more resources had not been made available already.

"The Opposition will be the watchdogs for our seniors.'' Southampton East MP Reginald Burrows said he was concerned about affordable housing and the demolition of homes at Southside.

"I feel that the persons responsible for the demolition of those houses at Southside is criminal especially when we have so many of our citizens in need,'' he said. "The previous government allowed affordable houses to be demolished and I hope that the minister in charge will investigate this and get to the bottom of it.'' Mr. Burrows also taunted the Opposition, claiming that, although they had secured around 45 percent of the vote on November 9, it seemed that that support had now plummeted.

"I have never met so many people who are now supporting the PLP,'' he said.

"I hear people in the Opposition talk about getting 44 percent of the vote but I think that must be down to about 15 or 20 percent now.'' And he also urged the new Government to come up with extra cash for senior citizens.

"These are the people who have laid the foundations of our success today and I know that many of them find it very difficult to exist on their small pensions -- we have to find some way of increasing those pensions.

Mr. Burrows also expressed his concerns on the Island's tourism industry, warning that, if another major hotel chain decided to pull out, that could have a disastrous effect on airline schedules.

"We must ensure that the hotels we have remain open so that airlines will be willing to come to Bermuda,'' he said.

Mr. Burrows also insisted that another golf course should be created to attract more visitors, particularly in the off-season.

"If we had a golf course for the off-season that would attract visitors -- and golfers spend money,'' Mr. Burrows said.

Persistence finally paid off for PLP Legislative Affairs Minister and PLP veteran MP Lois Browne-Evans gave MPs a history lesson and also a lesson in how persistence does eventually pay off.

She read out a list of politicians who were sitting in the House exactly 30 years ago, which included just six PLP MPs.

She also reminded MPs how Premier Jennifer Smith fought in several elections before finally winning a seat in the House in 1989.

"That was a glorious day in St. George's and it was a foretaste of what happened on November 9, 1998,'' she said.

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt continued the Opposition's theme that UBP MPs generally backed the flavour of the Throne Speech.

And he also praised Premier Jennifer Smith on her Cabinet choices saying that some of the selections were " a pleasant surprise''.

He added that those same new faces could play an important part in "unclogging bureaucratic arteries''.

Mr. Barritt was one of many MPs on both sides of the House who called for a crackdown on dangerous drivers, insisting it was not just the young who flouted traffic laws, but also many adults.

Again he insisted that the UBP would have an important role to play: "It has been said that the people of Bermuda, or at least PLP supporters, were waiting to exhale on November 9.

"I think it would be fair to say that, while a significant number exhaled, there have been a number of people who have been holding their breath since November 9.

"We are not going to criticise just for the sake of criticism but we have to wait and see how these policies and promises are going to translate into legislation.'' UBP maverick Trevor Moniz , like all those MPs who chose to speak before him, began his delivery by warmly congratulating Stanley Lowe on his appointment as the first black Speaker of the House.

He went on to say that he was disappointed to see no mention of the thorny topic of long term residents rights in the Throne Speech, an issue he has campaigned for frequently in the past.

He also warned that the new Government must stand firm against the OECD and European Union over the question of tax havens.

"We know the OECD and EU are looking at what they call harmful tax regimes and I would urge the new Government to take a firm and resolute stand on this as we did before the election,'' he said.

Pembroke East MP Ottiwell Simmons said that he was extremely impressed with the level of debate in the House since the Election and described the Opposition as gracious.

He said there was a new feeling of joy since the PLP election victory and that people felt "as though a burden had been lifted from their shoulders''.

Described how he had seen men clearing garbage on Ord Road, who claimed they were doing so because the Election had brought about a new Bermuda, he said: "It just made me feel so good, I was fighting the tears from my eyes -- I lost the fight.'' "But we have to be a listening and caring Government,'' he said.

"The last Government was a hatchet Government -- they were deaf and they just cut down every argument and that's why they lost their position.

"We just have to stay people oriented and then we will be all right.'' The Throne Speech was adopted unanimously after Premier Jennifer Smith said that her ministers had come up with some innovative and creative ideas.

And she declared the Opposition response as "tepid''.

"I believe we have had a full and frank debate that the people of this Country have had an opportunity to listen to and I believe they are satisfied they are getting good Government,'' she said.

"The Opposition has indicated that they want to work in partnership but if the UBP wants to claim ownership of our ideas, that's up to them.'' Rev. Wilbur Lowe Graphic file name: LOWEE Cole Simons Graphic file name: SIMONSC Lois Browne Evans Graphic file name: LOISS John Barritt Graphic file name: BARRJ