Every year brings events which catch the eyes and ears of residents Island-wide. Here are some of the people who made the news in 2002, although many of whom may have wished they had not:

Shirley Rose Higgins, close friend of the late Hon. David Allen, who told the Mid-Ocean that in his last days the Tourism Minister was not attended to by the Progressive Labour Party as he should have been and that his cancer may have been brought on by his eating of monkey meat. However, his family told The Royal Gazette her statement was a contradiction of what she told them.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome for still NOT tabling the report investigating whether asbestos was removed from a Southside construction site more than two years ago.

Star Motors for being fined $41,850 for falsely declaring value of its cars to Customs Inspectors. The company avoided paying around $900,000 in duty between January, 1999 and March, 2000.

Former Royal Gazette reporter Magnus Henagulph who went on a hunger strike in defiant stand against conscription into the Army. The conscientious objector refused to eat anything while at the Bermuda Regiment for several days until he was granted a private hearing with a Supreme Court judge.

Ex-director of aviation, James Pitman, who was charged and admitted to falsifying documents which certified a jet fit to fly.

Missing businessman Tony Duggan who said through his lawyer that he intends to fight Capital G, who is suing him for non-payment of a $900,000 loan. This coming after the Bank of Bermuda won a $500,000 judgment against him. Mr. Duggan has not been seen on the Island since July 2001, when he sailed off into the night aboard his luxury yacht leaving a trail of debts.

Attorney General Dame Lois Browne-Evans who said former Canadian prosecutors bent over backwards to get convictions and strutted around the streets thinking they were the greatest.

Taxi driver Lloyd Smith who claims he first introduced the GPS system to Bermuda, and sued Transport Minister Ewart Brown for $60 million.

Bermuda Public Service Union general secretary Ed Ball who blasted Dr. Brown for allegedly breaching protocol at the airport. Staff said he sought to enter the entry hall via the Police station without the necessary pass to greet visitors.

Quinton Beach, who admitted importing $1.7 million worth of cocaine, heroin and ecstasy and was given a two-year probation order.

The reason: Since the DEA intercepted the drugs before they arrived in the Island, they imported the drugs, not Beach.

Tony Brannon who shut down the popular chat forum on Bermuda.com because of hate speech.One posting, from "White Power" considered that Bermuda's problem was "too many crazy crack head n***ers" and suggested that the solution was to "send them back to Africa where they came from".

Senseless vandals in St. George's smash dozens of Christmas lights, then scrawl graffiti over several buildings in the square within a week.

The Corporation of Hamilton said it was considering closing the Union Street public bathrooms after workmen said found blood on the walls and syringes left behind.

Customs and Police who swooped on six gambling haunts of suspected importation of illegal spare parts. Soon after, the machines had to be returned, but not before it was discovered several had been damaged. The Supreme Court then ordered that costs and damages be awarded - possibly up to six-figure payments. Oops!