speeches at Bernard Park yesterday.

Few speakers at the 12th annual Labour Day festivities failed to mention that a general election was near.

Two hours of speeches followed a march by hundreds of trade unionists from Union Square. Music, food, and entertainment filled the rest of the day.

Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mrs. Lois Browne Evans drew one of the loudest ovations as she accused the United Bermuda Party Government of standing by this year while "there was a clear attempt to break trade unionism in this country''.

Citing problems at Grotto Bay Beach Hotel which were referred to the Trade Disputes Board, Mrs. Browne Evans asked: "How can you forget all of these things on a day like today? "Remember how they act, not what they say.'' The Parliamentary veteran said it was "time for change,'' and "no amount of slick advertising, no amount of full-page thousand dollar ads in The Royal Gazette ought to trick you.'' Earlier, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan recalled the progress that had been made, and said: "Opportunities presented to us in the past both by management and labour is why we can stand here today.'' He called on Bermudians to pull together in "solidarity'' to face challenges like the possible closure of the US Naval Air Station and the prospect of another American recession.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman said while he was impressed by improvements in post-secondary education for Bermudians in the past 10 years, the country needed more than just university degrees.

"We've had to import literally hundreds and hundreds of people in skills and crafts,'' Mr. Pearman said. "We're liable to be foreigners in our own land while our own young people sit on the walls.

"That's what we have to address.'' Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade urged those attending to get out and vote, "so that next year when we come to Labour Day, we come with the first Labour Government in power in Bermuda's history.'' He criticised the Government for apparently planning to call the vote while many newly-enfranchised voters were away at school. The voting age was recently lowered to 18 from 21.

"Youth in Focus'' was the Labour Day theme. Youngsters led the march to the park and spoke from the stage.

Mr. Arnold Smith, an officer of the Bermuda Industrial Union's youth wing, said if organisers intended to focus on youth, young people should have been among the first speakers, not the last.

Political leaders on the podium would one day be gone, and today's youth would be in charge, he said. "We have to prepare to make the transition.

"Get up off the walls,'' he told young people. "Get off the streets. Get out of those dark alleyways and let's fill the schools and colleges, and empty the prisons.'' Mr. Lennox Boodram, president of Bermuda College Student Council, complained that students there frequently had to travel from one campus to another to attend classes.

"The politicians find money to build a prison, yet we can't have a proper college,'' he said.

The crowd also heard from Miss Pat Gordon, the daughter of trade union founder Dr. E.F. Gordon.

Representing the Alliance for the Protection of Bermudian Women, she said she and her Bermudian son were threatened with expulsion because Government would not issue a work permit for her foreign-born husband.

But she would not go without a fight, she said.

Labour movement `vital to Bermuda' -- see Page 2.

SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH -- Youth were the focus of yesterday's Labour Day festivities. Young people played a prominent role in the march and in speeches that followed.

LABOUR DAY MARCH -- Labour and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman (second from left) and Bermuda Industrial Union president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP (centre) were among hundreds who marched from Union Square to Bernard Park.