need to stay efficient, and the demands for jobs and complaints about foreign workers from Bermudians.

A successful and sophisticated economy requires talent, not all of which Bermuda can supply. Yet Bermuda's economy has constantly provided one of the highest standards of living in the world. There are examples in other countries, notably the Bahamas, where the severe curtailing of work permits has led to sharp economic decline. But there is a need to be ever vigilant to ensure that Bermudians who can do a job get that job and not a foreigner. As a Country we have to be sure that the best is being done for our own people.

At the same time it is very clear that inadequately staffed businesses, local and international, will not be able to thrive and Bermuda's economy will deteriorate to the detriment of everyone.

Keeping the balance between the needs of individual Bermudians to be employed and to be able to progress and the needs of businesses to staff themselves properly is a tough job. If you fail in the first you have unhappy Bermudians and if you fail in the second you diminish the economy to everyone's detriment. It would be just as tough a job for the Progressive Labour Party as it is for the present Government.

The Government's policy is to keep the economy buoyant and to use the proceeds to fund social programmes. It seems to understand the staffing needs of businesses. It knows that if permits are denied unnecessarily, the economy will falter and there will be little cash for social programmes.

Then too the international business sector wants permits when it wants them and without too much hassle. It also requires quality people who can provide services to companies which compete internationally. Bermuda will probably never supply enough people at that level. Since these companies compete internationally they are not tied to Bermuda and would have little difficulty moving to another place which would allow them greater freedom of hiring. They are unlikely to tolerate work permit problems to the point where their business suffers.

That is why there is, at best, nervousness and, at worst, alarm over the fact that Shadow Home Affairs Minister Alex Scott is on record as saying that he would make major cuts in the number of work permits issued and would limit the duration of permits to one year.

It seems to us that such action would very likely cause problems with the economy and lower the standard of living of all Bermudians. International companies will not stand quietly by if they have work permit problems and local companies will curtail their activities thus limiting job expansion.

One year permits prevent businesses employing good people because no one except those looking for a little time in the sun will give up a job, pack up and move to Bermuda with such uncertainty. If Bermuda is to import talent it needs to import the best.