The Budget is probably the most important day for Government of any given year, but people on the streets of Hamilton expressed little concern with the document.

Although the Budget sets out how and where Government will spend the country's tax dollars over the next year, nine out of ten people asked about it yesterday said they weren't too concerned and many said they hadn't really been paying attention.

"I haven't really thought about it,'' said Craig Bridgewater . But he said he would like to see more money go to "main concerns like education and housing issues.'' Valerie Cabral doesn't expect this year's Budget to be significantly different from last year's. "I'm not really concerned,'' she said. "It didn't seem too bad last year.'' Small business owner Dominic Wong said he would not be concerned until he heard about the document. "I don't know until they put it on the news or in the newspaper. We just have to follow,'' he said.

Laquita Rocher agreed but had one item she hoped to see deleted. "Doesn't make sense to be concerned now,'' she laughed, "because it's already printed.

I would like to see in there that death taxes have been eliminated.'' Small pensions were a concern to Jeannette Adumay . "I don't really keep up.

I don't buy the newspapers and I don't listen to the news. When someone dies, I don't find out till three months later,'' she said. "The only thing I'm concerned about is the older people. I was listening to the David Lopes show about how hard it is to support themselves on the tiny pensions they get.'' A few people said they'd like to see more money invested in Bermuda's young people. "I don't have major concerns,'' said Lee Todd . "But general things like education I'd like to see get more money.'' "We definitely need something for the children,'' said Dean Stephens .

Lee Gayfarley said people don't have to worry about what they haven't been studying. "I have no idea in which direction it's going to go,'' he said.

"If I knew, then I'd be concerned but I haven't taken the time out to analyse which way it will go.'' Clyde Bassett said however that if the US experiences a downturn Bermuda may as well. "I don't see it as being overly significant,'' he said. "If everyone knows the economy is slowing in the US, it's probably also true for Bermuda. That probably means there will be some downturn which will be reflected in the Budget.'' At least one person felt the Budget was cause for concern though. "Of course I'm concerned,'' said optometrist and former UBP Senator Yvette Swan, "Anyone who isn't, isn't alive really.'' Craig Bridgewater Valerie Cabral Lee Gay Farley Clyde Bassett