The following is the full text of the Progressive Labour Party's reply to The Throne Speech delivered by Oppostion Leader Mr. Frederick Wade in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, If any one had any doubts that an election was in the offering in the near future this Throne Speech has certainly removed any such doubts.

The Government has chosen to use the speech to set out its election platform, making vague promises to all and sundry.

In order to set out its platform the Government has strained the Royal Protocol by requiring the Throne to read a long, repetitious speech full of argument and political rhetoric.

Instead of setting out a clear uncluttered government plan for the next year we have been burdened with a repeat of the so-called five pillars philosophy of the UBP Government.

Instead of a clear plan to move Bermuda forward and out of the recession as the USA moves out of recession, we have the same old people, who have failed in the past, conducting studies and leading task forces, similar examples of which, incidentally, helped in the undoing of President Bush -- too much study by old cronies and no action in solving the problems brought on by the recession.

Instead of a clear financial plan to assist Bermudians who have remained unemployed or underemployed, we continue to wait for a study and have been given a vague promise of a report on Unemployment Insurance in the coming year. In the meanwhile, we frustrate our unfortunate people with the red tape of social assistance.

Instead of a robust plan to provide jobs in the public sector the UBP Government continue to fail our young, talented Bermudians just home from school. They fail to recognise that the public job pool should expand during recession to take up some of the slack created by private sector loss of confidence in the economy. The paltry number of low level jobs and the negative policies of government contractors leaves much to be desired in real job creation.

Instead of a monetary policy designed to stimulate the economy, the old style, old crony patronage is still being relied upon. Instead of an across the board reduction in interest rate engineered by the Monetary Authority and carried out by all financial houses, we have Sir John Swan and his "Assistant Premier'' Donald Lines carrying out some private arrangements. Instead of an interest reduction scheme being a part of an overall plan to stimulate the economy and encourage new enterprise, it is seen as a political ploy to help re-elect the UBP Government.

Instead of a clear plan to develop the National Stadium put forward by the new Minister, we have a promise of " changing facilities'' and a vague, meaningless statement ... "Government also looks forward to a dynamic contribution by the new Trustees and with their assistance, the forging of new partnerships dedicated to the enhancement of this facility.'' Instead of a clearly defined White Paper on educational reform which everyone can understand and can feel a part of, there is an aura of confused thinking, illogical priorities and again, non-action.

Instead of a well thought out plan for dealing with the winding down of non-Bermudian workers, the UBP Government have presided over a year when Bermudians remain unemployed and non-Bermudians stay employed. The UBP Government has ushered in a period of instability and uncertainty into the community of long-term Bermudian residents and their children, with particular pain in the vocal Portuguese community.

The situation has naturally pitted Bermudians against non-Bermudians and has caused much emotional upheaval and mistrust between Bermudians and the various national groups.

Instead of a clear signal to the country as to how Government will deal with rising crime we have been given the mixed signals of long prison sentences and promises of correction rather than incarceration.

Instead of open discussion on the problem of criminal justice by publication of the recent report, the UBP Government has chosen to surround the report with secrecy.

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, this year is a time for clear thinking and careful planning. The Throne Speech is the place and time for Government to put forward its plans in a clear and concise manner.

Mr. Speaker, I am left with no choice but to put forward a sample of what a PLP Throne Speech would have contained: 1. A PLP Government will take steps to generate more jobs in the public sector and through tax incentives encourage business to either keep Bermudians employed or to commence new business activity, thus generating new jobs in the private sector.

2. (a) A PLP Government will seek to restore the Tourism industry by: i.) The orientation of aggressive marketing in Europe and other potential markets such as Japan; ii.) The introduction of co-operative or joint venture charter flights from Europe; iii.) A scaled reduction in passenger departure taxes based on seasonality; iv.) A policy phasing and co-ordinating the winter closure of hotels; v.) Further tax incentives for hotels during the winter season; vi.) The addition of tourism to the curriculum in primary and secondary schools; vii.) A more flexible cruise ship policy allowing six regular weekly cruise liners; viii.) Increasing funding for overseas advertising and on-the-ground sales promotion to keep pace with our competitors and an in-depth review of advertising content.

(b) A PLP Government will continue to consult with the international community with a view to further strengthen this pillar of our economy.

3. A PLP Government will table a White Paper on education setting out the Party's policy and plans for Education in Bermuda at all levels.

4. A PLP Government will further limit work categories that are open for non-Bermudians with particular emphasis on categories where abuses of immigration regulations are continuing to occur.

5. A PLP Government will expand the use of the Labour Advisory Council to encourage more peaceful industrial relations and will use its unique position of having close ties with Bermuda's union leaders and its connections with employers to usher in a period of industrial peace.

6. A PLP Government will investigate the institution of a new system of "permanent residency'' not linked to any form of Bermudian Status or voting rights, that will provide security of tenure to long term residents of Bermuda who have made a contribution to our country. This concept will be similar to the "Green Card'' system in place in the United States and promised in our 1989 Platform. At the same time a strictly enforced moratorium on the granting of Bermudian Status will be maintained with a view to all citizenship issues being resolved when Bermuda ultimately decides on its future constitutional position.

7. A PLP Government will consult fully with the sporting community and create a list of parameters for the continued development of the National Stadium.

Funds will be allocated in the next budget and subsequent budgets to see the Stadium through to completion.

8. A PLP Government will institute a review of the entire tax system with a view to making the system more equitable and identifying new forms of taxation. A Green Paper and White Paper will follow the review of the system.

9. A PLP Government will vigorously pressure the implementations of the Archibald Drug Strategy with special emphasis on the development of local community based programmes such as SAD, ORSHAD and WARCAG. Such a policy will have a direct result on drug related crime which includes personal injury on children and women.

10. A PLP Government will set up a separate fund to provide for the unemployed and will proceed more rapidly toward the implementation of an unemployment benefits scheme.

Mr. Speaker, I have set out some of the key items that would have appeared in a PLP Government Throne Speech. We have not covered everything but have given a generous sample.

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier the UBP Government has used the Throne Speech to put forward an election platform. In a generous mood I isolated 22 promises in one form or another.

THE ECONOMY The election of Governor Bill Clinton as President of the USA should serve not only as a psychological stimulus for the American economy but should also lead to a new approach to America starting the long climb out of recession.

The Bermuda Government must therefore take those positive steps which will enable Bermuda to benefit fully from any improvements in the US economy.

Further, the Bermuda Government must be sure that its policies are not having an adverse impact on the Bermuda recession economy.

Mr. Speaker, we are convinced that there is a need for Government to do all it can to expand its role in the Bermuda economy. We believe that Government must set up policies to restore the community's confidence in the Bermuda economy in as far as the loss of confidence is locally generated.

Government's 1993-94 Budget must create expansion rather than contraction as the budgets have done for the last two years.

Banks and other financial institutions must be encouraged to operate policies designed to create new development, new business and new jobs.

EDUCATION Mr. Speaker, Government's boast that it has "long held that all of its people must have equality of opportunity. It is through the guarantee of a first-class education system that this goal will be further realised'' -- serves to remind us that it is this Government that has retained an elitist school system (that did not allow equality of opportunity) despite overwhelming evidence of the detrimental nature of such a system.

Mr. Speaker, Government was more honest in last year's Throne speech, when they stated that "Equality of opportunity continues to be a fundamental Government objective...'' and it will remain just an "objective'' as long as we do nothing to ensure that: a.) all of Bermuda's children start school ready to learn through access to pre-schools, regardless of economic circumstances; b.) student's rights, parent's rights and teacher's rights are incorporated into a system that recognises that education must be a partnership; c.) the ability of all children to learn is recognised by the incorporation of teaching methods that correspond to different learning methods.

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the announcement that a New Education Act will be introduced in "the coming session''. Two years ago ( Royal Gazette 06/04/90) our Shadow Minister of Education urged Government to pay more attention to pre-schools and primary schools in its education reform plans -- we are pleased to note that the Minister has accepted this suggestion and we look forward to seeing how Government will incorporate this suggestion.

Mr. Speaker, while we hope this promise of a new Education Act will be kept, in light of Government's professed commitment to "consensus'', we must question why a White Paper, laying out all of the proposed changes, could not have been introduced firstly, thus giving members of this House an opportunity to debate the matter before decisions are included in Legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we note that while the 1991 Throne Speech promised that preliminary drawings for adapting and upgrading the five middle schools would be completed, and plans for the integration of special needs students would be developed; this House has not seen the five preliminary plans or the plans for special needs students -- and this year, we are promised only that Government remains committed to "improving the facilities of Bermuda's schools''.

Mr. Speaker, Government's plans for education reform may indeed be "well underway'', but we in the Progressive Labour Party remember the single secondary school plan that was touted in the 1990 Throne Speech and we are concerned that this country be not presented with a "fait accompli'' in the form of a new Education Act without preliminary debate in this House.

Mr. Speaker, we recognise that Government's reform plans hinge on the relocation of the Bermuda College's Prospect Campus to the Stonington Campus; and thus we welcome Government's promise that the "facilities of the College will be further enhanced in the coming year''. Previous discussion on the expansion of the Bermuda College's offering had included Teacher Training; yet, no mention is made of this promised area of learning in the description of degree courses to be offered at the College.

YOUTH, SPORT and RECREATION The Bermuda World Cup Team has received willing support from every corner of the community except the Bermuda Government. Government gave reluctant support after our Shadow Minister embarrassed them through a series of press conferences highlighting their failure to support the Bermuda Football Association.

The public must clearly understand that the $80,000.00 promised is nett whatever charges the Bermuda Football Association creates with Government. In other words the Government intends to deduct the cost of rental of the National Stadium, Warwick Camp and any other charges the BFA may incur. The balance will be forwarded to the to the BFA.

The Throne Speech states that Government will continue to assist Bermuda's sporting institutions as a priority.

There is a need for a comprehensive plan for Sports in Bermuda, complete with national policy and goals. The World Cup participation must never again be left to the generosity of a few businesses, the general public and a reluctant Government.

THE ENVIRONMENT Once again we have been promised Clear Air Regulations, not in this session, but in the coming year. We have been also promised an Independent Review Body to monitor the output of the Tynes Bay Incinerator.

We do not expect any vague promise made for "in the coming year'' to ever see the light of day.

Mr. Speaker, you know that any such promise is just an election promise. The recycling programme is set to start next week. We are concerned about the privatisation of garbage collection without discussion in Parliament.

We believe that Government should have brought before Parliament a paper on its whole plan for Privatisation.

Mr. Speaker, the three political parties agreed to the setting up of the Commission to investigate the Fishing Industry. We are disturbed that those recommendations that were designed to have a direct benefit on the fishermen have been totally ignored.

HEALTH and SOCIAL SERVICES We were pleased to see that a green paper has been promised on pensions for the elderly, but we note that there is no time attached to the promise. We hope that it will be in this session and not in the coming year.

Mr. Speaker, we are aware that Bermuda's elderly population is growing rapidly. Our elder citizens have many needs that are not being addressed. More nursing home spaces are required. They need better access to cheaper medicines, insurance to cover long-term care and they need access to housing.

GOV'T FAILURES: PLP REPLIES TO THRONE SPEECH Single parents need their arrears of payment and not any more delays. We welcome the promised new group home for the mentally handicapped. We hope that Government will take steps to put Hope Homes on a better financial footing.

We welcome a review of the Mental Health Act.

IMMIGRATION and BERMUDA STATUS We welcome the intention, although not new, to provide equal rights to the children of Bermudian women.

While we welcome the national system for those who have Bermuda Status we believe that a bipartisan committee should oversee the production. The creation of this register will require many judgments to be made as to who should be on the register.

Mr. Speaker, this will be required as we are of the opinion that Government does not have an accurate record of those persons possessing Bermuda Status by grant. Naturally the determination of those who acquired status by birth or descent will require much consideration.

CANADIAN and US BASES IN BERMUDA We are pleased to see that Government has initiated a study on the future use of our present foreign bases. For years we have advocated that the Bermuda Government should take the initiative and prepare a plan that is in Bermuda's best interest instead of waiting for decision to be dictated to us by the UK Government and/or the United States Government.

We are not sure that the UBP study goes far enough but at least it is a start.

WORKS and ENGINEERING The Department of Works and Engineering should be the engine which fuels the creation of many of the jobs created by Government to assist with the recession. The use of this department has been piecemeal and lacking in real substantive job creation. The highly publicised scheme with BELCO created 40 jobs that lasted about three months. Such schemes should have been used to create many more jobs.

The need to refurbish the schools and the creation of the middle schools make a viable project which would go some way to the creation of more jobs.

TRANSPORTATION Government plans for Transportation remain a secret. Even though we have just spent $2,000,000.00 to move a bottle neck 30 yards from where it was initially, there is till no policy to curb the impact of the motor car on life in Bermuda. Recently we have heard the complaints about the cost of operating airlines out of Bermuda. The PLP have continued for years to advise a reduction in such charges to the airlines to encourage greater airlift and flexibility in scheduling.

CONCLUSION Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the speech I said that this Throne Speech was an election Throne Speech which set out the UBP's platform. Many of the promises will never see the light of day as an election will undoubtedly be called before they can be implemented.

Mr. Speaker, I therefore close with these remarks to Bermuda. The people will have an opportunity in the near future to elect a new government. The voters can once again be fooled by the UBP's old promises or they can opt for change and usher in a new era of prosperity under a PLP administration willing and able to serve.

Mr. Frederick Wade, Opposition Leader.