are sure this morning that all Bermuda is proud of them. This debating competition is not a small regional affair but the World Debating Championship and young Bermudians were competing against young people who are all chosen from much larger countries.

The success of the local team, which was just squeezed out of the quarter finals for the second year in a row, says a great deal about the intelligence and abilities of Bermuda's young people and is a great credit to education in Bermuda.

Holding their own against Australia, Wales, Scotland, England, the United States, Singapore, New Zealand and Pakistan, all of whom entered the quarter finals, should make all Bermudians very proud. Too often in Bermuda we all fail to recognise the achievements of Bermuda's young men and women. The failures and the problems of a few tend to distract people from the successes of the many. There are a great many good, solid, intelligent and hard-working young people in Bermuda who quietly get on with their lives.

The debating team composed of Berkeley Institute's Eugene Johnson and Jordan Zancanella, Mount Saint Agnes Academy's Jennifer Rhind, and co-Captains Trevor Leitch of Saltus Grammar and Rahsan Smith of Berkeley Institute has performed well beyond what any country of 60,000 people has a right to expect. A Country which so often talks about race and integration should also take note of this integrated group where co-operation and togetherness has been of the essence.

The important thing is to encourage the young Bermudians to continue this kind of success. They have shown what they can do. It has been said that the team is determined to make it "third time lucky'' when the World Debating Championships are held next year. Having knocked on the door of success in two consecutive world championships they are looking forward to the door opening next year. We wish them every possible success.

It is not easy for young people from a small Island to take on the world in any competition. To take on the best the world has to offer and "knock on the door'', not once but twice, is quite a feat.

Bermuda is proud of you and you have proved, as Eugene Johnston has said, that you can compete with anyone anywhere in the world. Keep it up!