Premier Paula Cox has called on international business to join forces with Government and help Bermuda through challenging times.“The question I leave you with is, ‘what can we expect from ABIC and what more and what other opportunities and avenues are there for you to help Bermuda?’” the Premier told the AGM of the Association of International Companies.“Of course, you would be well within your rights to tell me that your mere presence in Bermuda as taxpaying employers is help enough. And ordinarily, I’d say the conversation can end there. But there’s nothing ordinary about what’s happening in the economy at the moment. It needs extraordinary help, our extraordinary help.”Her remarks were made at the end of a speech delivered at the ABIC AGM, in which Ms Cox outlined her administration’s incentives for job creators.She also asked international businesses to assist the Island’s charitable organisations, and reach out to those who need help.“It is stated in the Throne Speech that Bermuda has a number of excellent charities striving to assist in building a better community and a better world,” she said.“These entities play a special role in our society. However, like much of the economy, they have been severely impacted by the recession and some are struggling to survive. Yet, unlike other providers, their income is entirely dependent on Bermuda’s largesse.“To assist this difficult situation, the Government has committed to working with the private sector, the charities and various sporting organisations with the aim of finding ways to make better use of increasingly limited resources. I certainly would exhort you join with the Government in a social pact to help those organisations that are dedicated to providing much needed support to those in need.”The Premier told the gathering that it is often the small gestures that can transform lives. And she told a story of how she had assisted a young man who had approached her and said he and his friends would rather get a job than join a gang. The young man was hindered in his job search by the fact that he was not part of Government’s Health Insurance Plan. Ms Cox said after some discussion with the young man, she offered to pay for the first month of HIP.The man later reported to Ms Cox that he had found himself a job.“I think that’s what we have to do. I think we have to be less judgemental and more encouraging,” the Premier said.“My job as a public servant is to transform the community and it’s by helping people who need help that we can really make a difference in Bermuda.”She ended her remarks by saying that while there was “no shortage of grim economic news” the challenges were not insurmountable.Ms Cox pointed to some positive news on the international stage, including leadership issues in Greece and Italy which “seem to have been resolved”, and that fears over the Euro had “partly subsided”, as well as news of job growth in the US.“It’s challenging, but it’s not all gloom,” the Premier said. “But I’m not going to give you a sugarcoated view of the future because we can’t afford to look at the world through rose-coloured glasses. There’s a lot of work to do and the best way to accomplish it is by tackling it together. Neither am I interested in scoring points. But I am committed to building our country and restoring economic harmony, and economic and social justice. That’s my job.”