The opening address by Premier Alex Scott, party leader of the Progressive Labour Party, on Monday night at the Devonshire Recreation Club.

The journey to the "New Bermuda" continues. On November 9th 1998 The Progressive Labour Party introduced a new an eventful age for Bermuda. The air was pregnant with possibilities - full of hope for the future. However, the task that lay ahead was daunting. Between the dream and the dreamer falls the shadow of the unknown. It was the challenge of the unknown, the charting of the course to the New Bermuda that both captivated and engaged the political pundits at that time.

On July 24th, 2003 the PLP under the Leadership of the Hon. Jennifer Smith won a convincing second term as the Government of Bermuda. This victory was accomplished by presenting the voter with the proposition that the road to the New Bermuda had been paved with real accomplishment, culminating in the realisation of Constitutional change leading to the establishment of `One Man One Vote Each Vote of Equal Value' a long sought after and dream of the Founding Fathers of the PLP!

However, within hours of this victory there was a challenge to the existing leadership, a Special Delegate's Conference was convened, followed by soul searching deliberations, and the torch was passed to new hands. The night of July 27 at Devonshire Recreation Club in terms of political drama was without equal.

The stakes were high and the entire country watched and held its breath while the PLP tested the strength and depth of its political maturity. While the outcome was expected to produce a new leader or confirm the current holder of the post, history will record that to the credit of this great Party Democracy emerged as the winner!

The New leadership for the PLP as confirmed by the Special Delegates Conference was W. Alex Scott as Party Leader and Dr. Ewart Brown as Deputy Leader. The acclamation of the delegates was enthusiastic and total. Both of us were hustled to the front of the auditorium and unto the stage. My back had been obviously turned away from the room as we made our way to the podium and when I turned around to face the audience I was immediately struck by what I saw. Before me stretching from the four corners of the room was a sea of faces.

The same eyes that moments before had been filled with apprehension were now brimming with expectation. A room that moments before been divided between the supporters of several factions had been transformed. Before me of one membership. now searching the face of its new leadership for answers and direction. It was both an exhilarating and humbling experience for me. The dawning of my appreciation for the task that lay before me was also to be the dawning of our vision for the future of the Party and Country.

While I knew then - as I know now - that the sense of disillusionment, political passions, and personal hurt in the party were not swept away in the euphoria of that moment in that auditorium; I saw the possibility for that to be achieved.

In an instant the media were demanding an interview and a hastily arranged Press conference was convened. The microphones were thrust in our direction and the reporters' pens were poised - and I knew what our message must be.

Looming large like the sun on the horizon at dawn the vision of yet another challenge if not far greater significance. Surely, and understandably, our task was to unite the party. However, the opportunity - if not unavoidable responsibility - to use our new found political capital and position as Premier, to unite our people - all of our people.

Beyond the line of reporters sitting across from me at the table I could see and hear the buzz of an excited and expectant membership. It was clear to me than as it is clear to me now that out of the euphoria of that moment in that auditorium we can lay the stepping stones for the unification of our island home. I saw and see the possibility for that to be achieved. This is the next phase of the Journey to the New Bermuda.

Once again expectations in a new PLP Government are high. In an independent syndicated quarterly survey (conducted between October 2 and October 7 the new government and the new government leader get a most favourable report. In this representative sample of 402 Bermuda residents (thus producing results accurate to within plus or minus 4.9) the most recent `Bermuda Omnibus Survey (Third Quarter 2003 highlights)' reports the following:

"Government Performance. With a new Premier in power, satisfaction with the overall performance of the Government led by Alex Scott has increased significantly since last quarter. Seven in ten residents now report being completely (15 percent, up ten points since June 2003) or mostly (56 percent, up 21 points) satisfied with the overall performance of the government, while only a small minority are either mostly (12 percent, down 21 points) or completely (three percent, down 17 points) dissatisfied with the government's performance).

I hope that the Conference finds these results encouraging. I did and I intend to use them as a benchmark of achievement which we should work to maintain. The survey continued: Leader Performance. The overwhelming majority of residents are also satisfied with Alex Scott's personal performance as new leader of the Progressive Labour Party (PLP).

More specifically, nearly eight in ten report to be either completely (23 percent) or mostly (56 percent) satisfied with Alex Scott's personal performance as Premier of Bermuda, while less than one in ten are mostly (seven percent) or completely (one percent) dissatisfied.

While this is very good news for the new PLP government and the PLP party it must be observed that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. The membership of this great party needs to have each one of us feel that he or she is a stakeholder in their - and I underscore their - PLP Government for us to meet the test and the expectations of this our second PLP term. In my view if this PLP party and Government are to serve the country better we must make you, the membership feel better about your Party.

Those of you, who support your Party and supported it loyally for decades, campaigned to help the PLP become the Government on that historic and glorious day, November 9th 1998. Again, in the build up to the recently held General Election you were called upon to comb the hills of your respective constituencies to canvas and fund raise to produce another decisive victory on July 24th 2003, for your party to form the Government of Bermuda for a second term.

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the former Party Leader and Premier of Bermuda the Hon. Jennifer Smith and the contribution she made to both the party and country. On behalf of the party membership I wish to use this opportunity to salute her for her role in leading the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party to both historic victories.

In addition to the victories at the polls she accomplished much, not least of which was the introduction of `one man, one vote to Bermuda'. Over the years and after those many decades and campaigns the party leadership and parliamentarians have turned to the business of Parliament and more recently of governing Bermuda and the membership have not been made to feel and be a part of that parliamentary process. This must change.

The Party membership must be made to feel that they are an important and significant partner in the PLP victory and Government. The Parliamentarians must be more involved with the membership and engaged in the Party business, and party activities; and both the membership and Parliamentarians must be more involved in the newly formed constituencies.

In this way in order to provide the country with the representation it voted for and deserves the new PLP Government will be well positioned to draw upon an empowered and more united membership and Parliamentary Group. Good government is all about good and honest representation of the electorate and a government's membership. Bermuda and labour are both integral parts of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party's name, roots and history. The party founding fathers - and mothers (I do not wish to get into any deeper trouble with the women of the party and Bermuda) - had a clear vision.

They fervently and passionately believed that one day that their fledgeling organisation conceived in the crucible of hot political debate would bring true democracy to the country they loved. Through tremendous personal sacrifice and extraordinary individual courage they challenged the politics of the oligarchy that ruled over a parliament that saw Bermuda racial segregated and labour without a voice.

The creation of the political machine and movement that we know as the PLP was to become for many of these patriots their life's work. Some of these men and women went to their graves not seeing the realisation of their dream. They were committed to both labour and Bermuda and so must we the beneficiaries of the dream. The dreams of Wilfred Allen, Dilton Cann, Rio Richardson, Edward DeJean, Austin Wilson, Albert Peter Smith, Walter Robinson and so many others who quietly supported their efforts to form this great party, is becoming a reality under our leadership.

This is the realisation of their dream. We are the political arm of the labour movement. We must ensure that our brothers and sisters in labour know that we are their political brothers and sisters. We look to them for support when we wish to get elected and they should be able to look to us for representation once we are elected.

This does mean that we can grant labour's every wish. Both of us must accept that our governance of Bermuda must be a `broad church' if the dream of the founding fathers for a Bermuda free of an oligarchy is to be realised. We intend to put our energies into initiatives aimed at solidifying our membership. We are the political party and partner of labour. However, we must avoid the danger of replacing a white business oligarchy with a black labour oligarchy. To ensure that this does not happen it is required that we abandon old tactics and adopt new strategies - if we are not to lose our way on the road to the New Bermuda!

In this regard you will have heard me say publicly that we wish to work closer with the Opposition Party - in Parliament. In this way we believe the public can be better served by us in Parliament. Also, I want them to be a good Opposition Party - because they are going to be an Opposition Party for a long, long, long time! The time has come for The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party to become a truly national party capable of representing a significant and diverse majority of Bermudians - of all races, beliefs and cultures.

If the road to the new Bermuda is to be travelled by the many it must be accessible to all. In true Bermuda fashion it must be reachable from little lanes and side roads; however, not closed to those who have in the pass traversed other highways and bye ways. We as a Party and a Government should not be as pre-occupied as to where someone has come from as we are interested and supportive as to where they want to go. It will require our collective effort and resources to pave the road to the new Bermuda. The journey will not be without disagreement.

The journey will take twist and turns both expected and unexpected. Therefore if we commit to agree whenever we can and when we disagree not to be disagreeable we will embark on a truly Bermudian odyssey.

Such a journey has to eventually arrive at a place and destination that will be as Bermudian as our unique accent, our `Good Morning' salutation, kite flying on Good Friday, Cup Match, cassava pie, shark hash, Chourico sausages, Gombeys on Boxing Day, `Match Racing' in Hamilton Harbour and Bermuda shorts. It will require a respect for our neighbour and his culture. It will require our collective effort to reclaim those things Bermudian that we are endanger of loosing like civility, law and order respect for each others property and a belief that indeed all men and women are truly created equal.

We must identify the challenges and concerns of our fellow Bermudians in the various constituencies and refine the process for bringing them to bought to the attention of the party and government. It will require that we embark upon a membership drive. We must seek to increase the party membership and expand the make-up of our party. If there are those who are reluctant to respond to our invitation to come to us, we must be prepared to go to them.

In this way our commitment to the new Bermuda will be seen to more than rhetoric and nothing less than our best effort. It will be required that we reinstate our youth wing programme in order to ensure that we shoulder our responsibility to the young and their and our future. It will be required that we continue toward placing the party on a firm financial foundation.

Our fiscal affairs should be managed in a manner that is appropriate for a Governing Party and be ready to support a bye election or general election campaign that will see us continue in power; therefore, fundraising should be given the highest priority at this time. We must always be ready for a general election call.

It will be required that the Public Relations Officer (PRO) forms a PRO Committee that will be mandated to keep both the membership and the community informed of the party's views, programmes and progress. It will be required that the PLP Party Constitution be reviewed and amended if necessary in order to reflect and address the change from Opposition to Governing Party.

The longest journey begins with the first step. Already, we believe that we have joined, and now are leading the march to a new Bermuda day. We came to office at a most perilous time. However, I believe the survey results confirm that progress has been made. We must maintain that momentum.

In a much cherished letter, a local political pundit has shared with me personally their view that: ". your ability to see beyond the tumult surrounding you and gauge public reaction must have been severely restricted. Nevertheless, you measured the public mood with unerring accuracy and responded accordingly.

The fear, wariness and confusion was all-pervasive: Frankly I have never witnessed such widespread mystification to a political event in Bermuda since the mass cabinet resignation that heralded Jack Sharpe's fall from the Premier's office. It's a tremendous credit to you and your powers of persuasion that this general concern dissipated so very quickly after you were sworn into office."

We have weathered our political honeymoon, the first hundred days in office. Our legislative programme will be set out in the Throne Speech delivered by His Excellency the Governor on the Opening of Parliament this Friday, October 31, 2003. Expectations will be high. We will undertake our legislative and parliamentary responsibilities with some urgency. However, always there will be limits on how much we can do and achieved immediately and in the short term.

I look to this Annual Delegates Conference to be productive and constructive. Once again we have an opportunity as a party to consider the challenges to both our party and country and come up with responsible and mature solutions.

I had the pleasure of attending the morning service at Bethel AME Church in Hamilton Parish yesterday. It was the occasion of their 115th Anniversary and as part of the celebration of this extraordinary milestone the Rev. Sylvester Beaman had been invited back to Bermuda - he says home - to deliver the message for the morning. In a most powerful, spirit filled sermon he declared that in these days of turmoil "it is a good time for the church.".

I say to you tonight borrowing from the Reverend's theme that it can be a good time for the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party! However, I cannot make it so alone. Each of us will be required to do our part.

The country is waiting. Watching. Saying, wondering, "Where to, PLP? What lay down the road to the New Bermuda? What will history record?" It is all up to us! Now, it is my privilege and pleasure to declare the 2003 Annual Delegates Conference of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party. Open!