Reviewing the major events of the year, two major issues dominated crime and the economy.There were other significant watersheds during the year, notably the departure of Premier Dr Ewart Brown and the succession of Premier Paula Cox, along with the emergence of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance as a third party.But there can be no doubt about what weighed most on people’s minds.Crime remains the most pressing concern, although the Police have had some success in this area recently. But the fact remains that violence can break out at any time and the public’s sense of security is still fragile.There has also been a noticeable increase in cooperation both between different government agencies, with grassroots organisations and across political lines. The select committee on crime is a notable example of the latter.It has been said here before, but bears repeating, that Premier Cox’s deliberate dialing down of the rhetoric, political, racial and otherwise, has reduced tension within the community and opens the possibility for cooperation between different groups. That this is needed on issues like crime and the economy is indisputable.The poor state of the economy is not the only cause of the rise in violent crime and gang activity; it is more complex than that.But it is a contributory factor, and if it improves, and if more Bermudians feel they have a meaningful stake in its success and a share in the economy’s benefits, then this will lead to a reduction in crime.And that’s where the third issue of 2010 and 2011 comes in: education and training.There is no way around the fact that the better educated and informed people are, the less likely they are to become involved in gangs or in crime. They will be qualified for better and more meaningful jobs which pay better and the risk of losing that job and the quality iof life that goes with it will also bea deterrent. This is not an absolute. The gang life still carries an attraction for young people from all walks of life, but the odds are better.Dealing with generalities is easy, of course.Less crime!More jobs!Better education!Everyone needs to work together!Slogans make it all sound easy, and it’s not. But a start can be made. When Ms Cox presents her Budget in February, she will be forced to make cuts. But she should, as much as possible, maintain or increase funding for valid educational needs and for training and retraining. She should also protect the Police budget as much as possible. The sucessess the Police have had are a combination of good use of intelligence and flooding areas and investigations with officers. This needs to continue.For the economy, the picture is less clear. There is some talk about Bermuda developing a new leg of the economy, but this is not something that happens overnight. In the meantime, the welcome mat needs to be laid out for international business and Bermuda needs to focus like a laser on its ability to compete, both on price and on quality.If that happens, the jobs will come. But Bermuda needs to be sure that its workforce is ready to take on whatever opportunities arise. This means being prepared in terms of “hard skills” and “soft skills”. Nothing less will do.On behalf of The Royal Gazette’s staff, we wish our readers and advertisers a happy and prosperous 2011.