is regrettable, but correct.

This newspaper has always supported mandatory pensions, which should give people a greater sense of security when they retire and end the disheartening experience of people who have given so much to their country being left virtually destitute at the ends of their lives. At the same time a system of forced savings like a pension scheme gives the Island a secure financial base which should add to the stability of the economy.

But setting up adequate pensions is extremely complicated and expensive. If planned poorly, they can end up either being inadequate or a massive drag on future generations.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox said the delay from July 1 until January 1, 2000 is aimed at giving staff and employers more time to budget for the plans.

It will also give Mr. Cox time to complete two vital undertakings of his own: The enactment of pensions regulations and the appointment of a Pensions Commission to oversee the regulations and to ensure the funds are being administered properly.

Here Mr. Cox and his Government have been accused of dropping the ball by the Opposition and it is true that little has been done in this area since the Election. Still, rushing through the regulatory apparatus to meet the July 1 deadline could result in chaos on the day.

Because introducing mandatory pensions is a massive undertaking which will result in additional expenses for employees and employers, it is better to move slowly and carefully with full consultation.

SAFETY FIRST EDT Safety first Transport Control Department Director Donald Dane's call in today's paper to make Project Ride mandatory for students before they receive an auxiliary cycle licence is to be applauded.

One of the primary causes of Bermuda's recent dismal road safety record has been the dearth of training for young people getting their first bikes.

For many years, people getting licences for auxiliary cycles only needed to prove they were in good health. Riders must now complete a test on the rules of the road and show they can actually ride their bikes which is a step, but only one step, in the right direction.

Requiring students to take part in Project Ride which teaches safe driving techniques would go a long way to making the roads safer.

A motorbike only needs to be in ignorant hands to be a killing machine and one wonders how many deaths in 1998 could have been avoided had drivers received adequate training.

There have been concerns that making the scheme compulsory would impinge on students' rights, presumably because older people receiving cycle licences will not have had to take the scheme. But there are ways to ensure that they too are adequately trained, either through road tests or through courses similar to Project Ride. This could be expensive, but surely it is a price worth paying.