House of Assembly on Wednesday.

Sir John opened the congratulatory and/or obituary speeches by congratulating Malabar Commander Robin Bawtree for weekend observances of the 200th anniversary of Royal Navy presence in Bermuda.

Malabar is closing on March 31.

"Two hundred years is a very long time,'' Sir John said. "All of us will agree that the culture, the lifestyle, and all of those things that are Bermudian, the presence of the Royal Navy has had some effect on, and all of us I'm sure would agree that it has left us with a significant legacy.'' Referring to an editorial in Wednesday's Royal Gazette , the Premier said it was not only blacks who were brought to Bermuda against their will.

Some whites were brought unwillingly to the Dockyard, and left Bermuda once they were set free, he said.

Bermudians had learned many trades and skills through the Dockyard, he said.

The Premier hoped "Bermudians will be grateful for that contribution, and build on it.'' Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams (PLP) asked to be associated with Sir John's remarks. He noted that the first Royal Navy Bases were in St. George's, and the Navy had made a significant contribution to youth through cadet programmes.

Mr. Williams also congratulated Grotto Bay Hotel for its recent "spirit of hospitality'' training course for 130 employees. "I would hope that all the hotels, the large and smaller hotels would get involved,'' he said.

The St. George's North MP also congratulated Mt. Zion AME Church and Richard Allen AME Church for their recent Men's Days.

Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira congratulated Ministry officials and the Gazette reporter who put together the recent education supplement in The Royal Gazette .

He also congratulated the Editor of the Gazette for Wednesday's editorial about Bermudian culture, saying it perhaps marked "a change from the doom and gloom'' of past editorials.

Dr. Terceira also sent wishes for a speedy recovery from an accident to Mr.

Michael Spurling, the brother of UBP MP Mr. Rick Spurling .

Having last week congratulated the Gazette for its youth page, Deputy Opposition Leader Ms Jennifer Smith congratulated The Bermuda Times, which also recently started a project to celebrate young people.

And she congratulated Mr. Richard Burchall of Anchorage Road in St. George's, who with the help of his daughter Erica, saved a neighbour from a recent house fire.

Lastly, Ms Smith congratulated the organisers of the annual Teen Conference, a "necessary open forum of discussion for young people''.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons asked that the House send condolences to the family of Mrs. Susan Rhind, who died recently in Canada. He noted that she was a daughter of former Cabinet Minister Mr. Bill McPhee and was a cousin of Government Whip Mr. John Barritt .

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge thanked Mrs. Connie Benjamin for bringing ginger bread cookies for MPs that day. He noted that she was following a tradition started by the mother of Ms Jennifer Smith.

Mr. Walter Lister (PLP) sent condolences to the family of Mr. Richard Spurgeon Phillips of Somerset, who died recently.

Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul congratulated the Ministry of Youth and Sport for its recent sports awards ceremonies.

Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade agreed it was an excellent programme, but he said he was disappointed by the advertisements for alcohol which accompanied it.

Mr. Walter Roberts congratulated all the sports awards winners, one of whom was his uncle. "Looking at the winners, I don't think Bermuda has a lack of role models,'' he said.