Sen. Norma Astwood (Ind) said a Family Court would help in the area of protection, but Government needed to look at what happened in families "long before'' a court was needed. Among other things, "we really need to look at helping persons to make appropriate mate selection choices,'' she said.

Moving to the replacement for Casemates Prison, Sen. Astwood said the name West End Correctional Facility did not reflect the "new beginning, new dawn, new era that that facility plans to offer'' in terms of rehabilitation.

There was not much connection between many of the features on the "Blueprint'' drawing on which the United Bermuda Party campaign platform was printed. Despite that, she hoped Government wanted "not chaos and turmoil of patching things together,'' but a united future "that carries us into the year 2000 and beyond.'' Making her maiden speech in the Upper Chamber, Sen. Neletha (Honey) Butterfield (PLP) said that if youth were to be encouraged to help run the country, she hoped the same time and energy that went into the new prison and incinerator "is first put into restoring some hope in our young people.'' Completion of the National Stadium would be a start, since in its present state it was "embarrassing to our young sportsmen.'' In the area of Transport, Sen. Butterfield said buses that young people travelled on were frequently unsafe. For instance, overgrown trees often stuck through the open windows of passing buses in summer. Public transport for seniors and the physically challenged also had to be improved.

The school system was still failing, and there was no mention of alternative education in the Throne Speech.

Noting that the UBP promised to expand the use of school facilities by the community, Sen. Butterfield said she hoped posters in some school fields that said "no unauthorised playing'' would soon come down.

The PLP was "coming with Energiser bunny spirit that will keep going and going'' until Government's promises were kept, she said.

Sen. Yvette Swan (UBP) said many countries that created Ministries for women found they were not enough, since most issues of interest to women should be of interest to the entire community. But there should be an office that acted as "a clearing house for women's issues.

'' In Bermuda, the Women's Advisory Council and the Human Rights Commission helped to perform that role, said Dr. Swan, also making her first speech in the Senate.

Reading the PLP reply to the Throne Speech, Sen. Swan noted "that the Government is continuously being referred to as a caretaker Government.

"Whether it has a majority of one, a majority of 100, or a majority of 1,000, the United Bermuda Party is forming the Government, and we are here to stay for the next five years, according to the Constitution.

"Everyone should be aware of that, so that no one is confused about what is happening.'' A location had been found for the new Family Court, and "dare I say it will be in place in the not-too-distant future.'' Remaining members of a task force to probe child abuse would be named soon.

Family violence, and failure to make support payments would not be tolerated by Government, she said. Drug trafficking would "also be dealt with in the strictest and sternest manner.'' A Government committee was reviewing health care and the idea of making the Child Development Project permanent was being studied. "A United Bermuda Party Government is not a Government that sits on its hind side and does nothing,'' Sen. Swan said.

"It is a Government that is wide awake and knows exactly what is happening to the citizens of Bermuda.'' Also making his first speech was Sen. Lawrence Scott (UBP). In response to Sen. Astwood's comments, he said the Blueprint design on which the UBP's campaign platform was printed was not in fact disjointed. In any case, it was the pledges itself that were important.

While there were complaints the National Stadium was "not up to scratch,'' it was not completed, Sen. Scott said. Because of the potential drain on the public purse, Government was proceeding "with all dispatch, but also with some degree of caution.'' It was important to remember there were only about 60,000 people on the Island. "Although we may wish to be a Jamaica, or a Barbados, or a city or town in the US or the UK, we must always be aware of the fact that our numbers dictate just how much we can put on our plate at one time,'' he said.

Sen. Scott said he was disappointed to hear the PLP pledge to "fight to the hilt'' any plans to privatise Airport operations, when all the facts were not yet known. It was a sign of "arrogance,'' he said. "Is this the way of the future, if and when a PLP Government comes into power?'' The final maiden speech in the Upper Chamber on Wednesday was made by Sen.

Terry Lister (PLP), who said it was "interesting'' to note pledges in the UBP Blueprint that did not find their way into the recent Throne Speech.

An umemployment scheme was one example, Sen. Lister said. Not only was there no plan outlined in the Throne Speech, "we haven't even seen the results of the study,'' promised earlier.

Nor did the Blueprint promise of a new mandate for the Small Business Development Corporation get mentioned in the Throne Speech.

And there was nothing about the development of cultural tourism. "We're left to wonder whether this is something that Government sees as a serious endeavour, or whether it was just something to include in the brackets when trying to fill a line in the Blueprint,'' he said.

Bermuda's small properties, which could be a major drawing card, were a victim of Government's "trickle down'' tourism policies, designed to fill the major hotels first.

A Government pledge to double the number of visitors from Europe was not impressive when one noted that only 2,500 now came from Europe in a year. A weekly charter flight from Frankfurt, favoured by the PLP, could bring 7,500 European visitors, he said.

Sen. Lister said Government had been "very successful over the years in implementing PLP policies,'' and he invited the UBP to draw on his party's campaign platform.

As for measures that were announced in the Throne Speech, the national pension scheme was a good idea on the surface, but could be a further strain on small businesses already having trouble paying the hospital levy, he said. More facts were needed.

Borrowing reflected a commitment to certain programmes, and Bermuda had been waiting 13 to 23 years for a proper National Stadium.

"I understand patience; I understand being prudent,'' Sen. Lister said. "I understand not wanting to borrow money and get in a big hole, but 23 years to me is nonsense.'' The same applied to school reforms, he said. Government had created confusion by not making enough funds available. "If we have to borrow to do these things as a show of our commitment to our people, then by golly, we should do that.'' Sen. Lister said he did not understand Government's Throne Speech claim that it would continue to strive for a balanced current account, when it was known Government budgeted for a surplus.

A National Education Foundation also sounded wonderful, but more needed to be known about it. If the principal in the fund was to be limited to the $2 million announced, annual interest of about $120,000 could only help about 20 students, he said.

On the new Airport Authority, Sen. Lister said plans to make the Airport self-supporting over three years by dramatically increasing revenues did not make sense. Where would the funds come from? One hundred dollar parking fees? Hiking already high landing fees would annoy the airlines and hurt tourism, he said.

Sen. Lister said a task force on race was a good idea, but the members had to be properly selected.

The task force needed to include those running the economy who were perceived as "issuers out of the punishment''.

Sen. Lister said white friends he had spoken to did not accept institutionalised racism existed.

"That is an indication of what we are up against. People perpetuating it will not come to grips with it, or else they deny it.'' Sen. Lister continued by underlining the need to retrain Bermudians.

LISTER -- BERMUDIANS MUST BE RETRAINED He stressed he was not suggesting an unemployed carpenter, for example, should become an accountant.

But he added: "I believe there are training programmes to reskill and retrain Bermudians to get them back to work.'' Sen. Lister finished by urging Government to put a "social agenda'' to the fore.

"We believe people must come first.'' Environment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons pointed out the UBP had retained its share of the vote at the election -- about 50 percent.

And the party's success was amazing in a global context, he said.

Incumbent parties in the world, such as in Canada and the Bahamas, had been kicked out of office.

Sen. Simons then turned to the Small Business Development Corporation.

He said its role involved more than guaranteeing loans -- it also provided guidance and advice.

On tourism, Sen. Simons objected to remarks by Sen. Lister that the Department of Tourism did not promote small properties.

This was not true, with many small hotels faring better in the recession than larger ones.

Sen. Simons said Government also recognised the need for cultural tourism, and was acting on it.

Turning to international business, Sen. Simons took a swipe at the PLP's idea for a Ministry in this area.

"I can't see any great advantage in creating another bureaucracy to serve a section of the community that is being relatively well served at present.'' International business was already served, for instance, by the Ministries of Finance and Labour and Home Affairs.

Sen. Simons agreed there was a need for more Bermudians at the upper level of international business. And there would be.

But he pointed out that of 2,800 jobs in the field, some 2,100 were held by Bermudians.

Sen. Simons turned the spotlight on the unemployed, accepting it was important to provide more training for them.

There was already a Government scheme training people in landscaping and gardening skills at the Botanical Gardens.

It was hoped these people would find permanent jobs in Government or in the private sector.

On complaints about garbage collection and lighting, Sen. Simons said critics should remember Bermuda had been through the worst recession since the Second World War.

"We have managed to maintain our garbage services and introduce an important recycling programme.'' The Works & Engineering Ministry also intended examining garbage collection.

Switching to pensions, Sen. Simons said Government planned to improve them.

Many Bermudians don't have a pension plan at work, or an adequate one.

A pension scheme would be phased in to ease the impact on recession-hit employers, said Sen. Simons.

Sen. Simons went on to defend Government's education record, emphasising the problems in finding money during a recession with competing demands on the public purse.

There had been PLP criticism that funds were not given for a Whitney Institute building project.

"I must accept the responsibility to direct funds from that particular project to a more worthwhile project -- the completion of Bermuda College.'' Work on the college had progressed smoothly, with another new building expected shortly.

Sen. Simons also hailed the National Education Foundation.

This would be structured along the lines of the Small Business Development Corporation.

It would guarantee loans to students wanting further education.

Sen. Simons said Government was committed to carrying out the Education Planning Team's recommendations.

A key one was mainstreaming, which was being acted on.

Government was also intent on boosting technical training of Bermudians.

"We need to spend a great deal of time and money in preparing young people in Bermuda in trades, such as electronics.'' Sen. Simons said Government was also expanding preschools.

Next January, for example, would see a preschool at St. Mark's Church.

Sen. Simons moved on to his own Ministry, saying he planned to make it more "user friendly''.

"I believe people have a right to know where they stand and have their applications processed expeditiously.'' As far as open space was concerned, the policy of "selective land purchases'' would be continued.

Sen. Simons continued by applauding Government's fish pot ban -- one of "the boldest'' decisions it had taken.

It had whipped up understandable controversy, but the decision was correct.

"The ban remains in place indefinitely. That is the current position.'' Sen. Simons ended by reaffirming Government's commitment to the Blueprint.

"There is no question Bermuda has the plan, the commitment and the energy to carry out the Blueprint,'' he stated.

Senate President the Hon. Albert Jackson focused on the Throne Speech's pledge to provide a fire truck for St. George's.

With the expected closure of the US Naval Air Station, this was a very important promise.

St. George's has been dependent on the USNAS, with the help of local services, for dealing with fires, said Sen. Jackson.

Now the town would have its own means of coping. It had been very "wise'' to refer to the truck in the Throne Speech.

Sen. Jackson continued by saying how heartened he was when he heard Governor Lord Waddington speak of his happiness in Bermuda.

He hoped the Governor would go on finding his stay in Bermuda pleasant.

Sen. Jackson ended by praising the way the Throne Speech debate had been conducted.

The discussion has been objective and non-confrontational.

It was a pity there was no Hansard to document the debate, thus ensuring many good points had not been lost.

Sen. Winfield, wrapping up, pointed out there were recordings of Senate debates -- should anybody wish to wade through them.

He added he too was pleased by the the way discussion had been positive, and said it augured well for the conduct of future sessions.

Sen. Winfield said the biggest change people had to make was to hear what others said.

It was wrong to only hear what you wanted to hear, or expected to hear.

Sen. Winfield said the emphasis in the Blueprint was unity.

Bermudians had to pull together to face the challenges ahead.

The Senate adjourned until December 1.