We pause once a year to reflect on the outstanding contribution made to this country by labour. We will have a banquet, road race, a march and a victory celebration at Bernard Park. All of this is well and good but we have yet to really highlight the heroes and heroines and the numerous struggles of the working classes of this country.

Although we have a few books, much more needs to be done. Last year a young man by the name of Brownlow Tucker and his committee were able to get a plaque erected to highlight the contributions of Maria Benn, well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist. Nothing more has been done since, even though the Corporation of Hamilton extended a willing hand to help. We have therefore missed a golden opportunity to highlight the numerous historic sites and personalities in the City, for example. Not only would younger Bermudians benefit from it but so would our tourists with a cultural tour which highlights Dr. Gordon's residence, the Oddfellows Lodge, Arty Black's, Dr.

George A Williams, Edith Crawford's school and so many others.

This year, the Stamp Advisory Committee finally agreed to my long-term request to have Bermudians placed on stamps and Dr. Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon, Gladys Morrell and Sir Henry Tucker were featured. But even more needs to be done.

Suggestions: We must rename streets after persons who have made a significant contribution.

We must rename buildings. The initiative by Dr. Ewart Brown to have a ward named after Dr. Gordon at the hospital and the additional change to recognise our war heroes is a start but more can be done.

Schools must have copies of all local books in their libraries and classroom copies for every child if the subject is covered in the curriculum.

We should establish a National Heroes Committee which could meet and select three to five heroes/heroines every five years.

A cultural centre for the City of Hamilton is long overdue. What happened to the initial proposal to have one in the Hamilton carpark? Teachers must receive more in service about Bermuda customs and traditions and the outstanding contributions made to this country by labour.

Last, but not least the BIU must take the lead, as the largest trade union, to do everything it can to develop plans to encourage its members to: Have a home computer with access to the Internet; Have a policy for TV and reading at home; Join and use the youth and adult library; and Take Bermuda College and Community Education courses. Dr. Gordon's dream in 1946 was to have an educated workforce and the BIU must continue to fulfil that dream. Our young people are desperate to know their heroes and we must ensure that they do.

As we pause to celebrate the contributions made by labour, let us also look to the future. We owe it to those who fought against even greater odds to make this a better place.