While this newspaper has had reservations about the idea of holding the holiday to celebrate a partisan political victory and with its timing, yesterday's event was an opportunity to bring the Island together.

And in the sense that the PLP's victory marked an historic event in that it was the first change of government in Bermuda since the advent of political parties, a holiday could be justified.

Perhaps confusion over the timing of the holiday and the need for some people to work meant that the turnout at the afternoon event, while strong, was not overwhelming. This cannot be blamed on the PLP -- no-one can force people to turn out.

As a show of unity, it was not a success as the crowd was mostly black and few white Bermudians turned out. Perhaps that is because no-one was entirely clear about the purpose of the day: Was this a victory celebration or a day for unity? In the end, it was a muted crowd which greeted Premier Smith and the day itself did not match the spontaneous celebrations which marked the PLP's victory on November 9 or the new government's parade through Hamilton the next day.

Perhaps, as Ms Smith said, this was a day for relaxation, marking the end of six weeks of hard work getting used to being in government before the hard work of the next year begins.

Ms Smith said she sees this as being a government which will serve the youth -- the Island's future -- and will work for the benefit of all. She also made the point that the youth must also work to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them.

That message is a universal one: this government cannot be inclusive if white Bermudians in particular do not step up and take part, rather than wait to be invited.

GOOD DECISION EDT Good decision Tourism Minister David Allen has a made a good decision in deciding to take a second look at his department's marketing plans for Canada in the wake of the collapse of the Rebecca Middleton premeditated murder trial.

The media in Canada show no sign of giving up on this story -- this newspaper received another call on the case from a Canadian radio station yesterday -- and as long as it is getting headlines, Canadians will associate Bermuda with the death of the Canadian teenager.

Mr. Allen seems to have recognised that fact and has moved decisively to counteract the negative publicity. Mr. Allen's tone is right -- that Bermudians are outraged when a visitor is killed, but that they are isolated events in what is still one of the safest places in the world to visit.

If a marketing campaign can be developed that incorporates that perspective, then Mr. Allen will have done well.