GOVERNMENT'S Throne Speech promises to the island's aged mean little without actual legislation to back them up, a seniors' advocate has charged.

As such, a group of concerned individuals is to champion a seniors' bill of rights in the hope of addressing issues important to the island's older residents.

The idea stemmed from The Silver Revolution. Held last month, it was the island's first conference dedicated to seniors, and attracted close to 300 attendees (see other stories on page 2).

"It's fine (for Government) to say we have this wonderful Social Agenda and that seniors are going to be included," said Keetha Lowe, one of the conference's organisers, "but we really need more than that based on what we saw come out of the conference. We need to hear that seniors will become a priority. We expect, and we require that our Government put systems in place.

"We need to hear that this is the budget we are going to set aside specifically to accommodate seniors, to address their needs and their concerns. And as the Government moves forward with any initiatives our hope is that they treat them as policies not programmes. Programmes come and go. Programmes succeed and they fail. Policies are designed to stay."

In the Throne Speech, delivered last month, Premier Alex Scott listed a slew of initiatives which together formed the Progressive Labour Party's Social Agenda.

As reported in , the Premier promised a national monitoring system would be established to maintain standards in care facilities for the aged, that Government would offer free home assessments to seniors interested in improving their residences and, that wellness clinics would be established across the island so seniors would not have to travel far for care. As well, amendments are to be made to financial assistance regulations which currently penalise those seniors who own their own homes.

"We were encouraged by his response to the concerns that were addressed (at our conference) the week before," said Ms Lowe. "It would have been great if he had presented that initiative six months ago, a year ago. But that's fine. If we had to set the agenda and he's choosing to follow, that's a positive thing.

"The overwhelming response to the conference ? through e-mails, phone calls, visits to our office ? has just been amazing. And what they're saying to the leadership is, 'We want results now'. And we should have that because (the Premier) put it on record ? I don't think there's any Government document more official than the Throne Speech. If it's there, then it's clear."

Among the many issues discussed at the conference, Ms Lowe said the state of the island's economy sparked the greatest concern.

"Government needs to take a look at Bermuda's economic impact on seniors," she said. "That's where most of the problems start and that's where most of the problems end. If we could take a look at structures ? pensions, social assistance.

"If we could take a look at our health policies with respect to medication and emergency health care ? and put systems in place to not just address them but to act as a safety net, I think that would be a good start. But at the moment, all we can do is put some ideas, put some solutions forward. Our hope is to raise these initiatives in such a way that Government ? because they are in charge right now ? listens to what's being said."

Because the Bermuda Constitution makes no reference to the rights of the aged, Ms Lowe said that any initiatives would likely benefit from a look at what has been successfully implemented elsewhere.

"I think one of the things that needs to be encouraged upon our Government at this stage is to look at examples around the world," she said. "The United States literally has a seniors' bill of rights. We don't have that here in Bermuda.

"Under that bill of rights, there are specific agendas that have been put in place. There are specific policies that have been put in place. There are specific clarifications of what their rights and entitlements are, so there is no doubt. The person who's imposing upon the senior has no doubt what the repercussions will be, and the senior has no doubt as to what she or he is entitled."

The Silver Revolution is to become an annual event. According to Ms Lowe, it is important that the dialogue be continued.

"The point of holding the conference on an annual basis is to educate. To encourage dialogue. To raise the issues and to effect change by encouraging the Government of the day to take note, to take action. I think we did what we set out to do.

"Within a week we proved how effective we could be. Because what happened within a week of that conference, was that the Premier said, we hear the voices of our seniors and we're entering it into our social agenda. And what that allows us to be able to do, is come back in a year and say, did you do what you promised? It doesn't need to be a divisive issue.

"There are two things we need not fight over or compete for votes over ? our seniors and our youth. This is not about scoring points. It's about doing what's right, so the community as a whole can benefit."