Bermuda must be quicker off the mark in grabbing economic opportunities in a fast-changing world.

And the looming closure of the military bases made this even more crucial.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan drove home the message to MPs in the House of Assembly yesterday.

"Today we find ourselves having to redefine ourselves in the world,'' he said.

He added: "Bermuda is going through change. We will need to be more responsive to types of market, and embrace more forms of business.'' Sir John also called for a change in labour practices, with management and workers pulling together.

In a world of ever-increasing competition, and fast-expanding global communications, this was particularly important.

"We are not competing with ourselves, we are competing with an outside world which is getting smaller and smaller.'' Sir John spoke as MPs gathered to debate the Throne Speech read out by Governor Lord Waddington on the opening of Parliament earlier this month.

"This is my 13th opportunity to speak on the speech by his Excellency the Governor,'' he said, to jeers of "and it will be your last'' from the Opposition benches.

The Throne Speech outlined part of the five-year United Bermuda Party Government plan set out in the Blueprint, Sir John added.

Sir John trained the spotlight on Bermuda's economic and social well-being.

"A combination of these two produces a stable country.'' Bermuda had to be seen in the context of the fast-changing world, the Premier went on.

Technology had expanded rapidly, and the Island was no longer seen as strategically important by the United States and Britain.

As Bermuda prepared to take over the land now occupied by the military bases, it had to "redefine itself''.

"We have to start looking further and further afield if we are to maintain our economic well-being.'' With modern technology, change had also occurred in the workplace.

While a country's general domestic product increased, this did not mean employment would rise in tandem.

In America, for instance, companies were being down-sized with more part-time staff being employed rather than full-time.

The lesson for Bermuda was clear: It had to boost productivity and efficiency.

That meant the Country needed to ensure tourism remained healthy, and visitors got value for money.

"We have to make sure not only the shareholder gets a good return on his investment, but also the guest gets a good return on his investment.'' Turning to crime and drugs, Sir John reaffirmed Government's commitment to tackling the evils.

"We are committed as much to the social side of the Country as the economic side,'' he said.

Government knew there was a correlation between drugs and crime, and tougher penalties were planned to curb the problems.

Sir John said he would make a statement on Friday laying out the penalties and financial inducements for those who provided Police with information leading to the arrest and conviction of criminals.

The new Westgate Correctional Facility was also part of Government's multi-pronged strategy on crime.

But so too was education, and reforming the school system.

Government understood the connection between education and people's sense of self esteem, said Sir John.

Sir John continued by hailing Government's fiscally sound policies which ensured Bermuda remained economically healthy.

Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul was committed to ensuring Bermuda had a current account surplus, said Sir John.

On tackling racial problems, the Island was also "well ahead of the game,'' he added.

The same could be said for health care, and the prison rehabilitation programme.

"The rest of the world envies us,'' said Sir John.

Sir John concluded by declaring his optimism for Bermuda's future, despite the current social problems.

The key was for Bermudians to come together and realise they all had a stake in the future.

Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade immediately put Government in the dock over its treatment of young people.

He said Bermuda was "reaping the whirlwind'' for neglecting the young.

"Our country is now plagued with problems which once we never dreamed we would face,'' he said.

Such problems included the increasing use of firearms, rising drug abuse, family violence, and the flight to private education.

Mr. Wade said the Progressive Labour Party wanted a Royal Commission on Crime.

Touching on other issues, Mr. Wade also declared: Government should throw itself into boosting the European tourism market, and revamp a "staid and stuffy'' advertising campaign; A Labour Summit should be organised; The Opposition will try to limit categories open to expatriate work permit holders, and in which there are qualified unemployed Bermudians available; The PLP will demand that work permits and their duration be linked to Bermudian trainee and understudy programmes; and The elderly should get an increase in pensions.

(Wade's speech is carried in full on pages 4, 5 and 6).

Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul unleashed a series of barbed comments on the PLP's reply to the Throne Speech.

Amid howling from the Opposition benches, he slated the speech for being long, but short in content.

And on Mr. Wade's call for work permits to be reduced he said it was now clear why Sen. Terry Lister -- who recently dropped his challenge for the PLP leadership -- had fallen out with his party.

Sen. Lister realised every work permit generated two jobs for Bermudians, said Dr. Saul.

He went on to ridicule Mr. Wade's description of Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mr. Alex Scott as an "ombudsman'' who spotlighted immigration infringements.

Mr. Scott was more a "rumour lightning rod'', spreading around imagined abuses, said Dr. Saul.

Dr. Saul, continuing his response after the lunch break, pledged Government was committed to retaining the Island's "enviable reputation and standard of living''.

The emphasis of taxation had shifted over time to those who could afford it, he said.

Comparing the two parties' responses to crime, he said the Opposition's was "typical'' while Government offered concrete solutions to all forms of crime from drug smuggling to such other "non social behaviour'' as pornography.

While the PLP made "disparaging remarks'' about the many committees Government had appointed, one of its own suggestions involved setting up a committee, he pointed out. "Do we hear anything about action, programmes and `measured effects' from them? No,'' he said.

Dr. Saul assured the bases takeover was in good hands. He reminded though, it was a major task involving, in the East End, two parcels of land amounting to 1,200 acres -- the airport and what he termed "the new town''.

However, "Both the airport and the new town could be self financing,'' he said. "And in the end I am sure Bermudians ingenuity will make sure we farm the land well.'' He said that inviting the PLP's input would have confused issues and made reaching a consensus difficult.

He said "generations to come'' would be thankful the UBP was in power to handle the task.

Commenting on a PLP concern, Dr. Saul said the "lion's share'' of the jobs scheme announced in the Throne Speech would be for non-ex-prisoners.

He said a national pension scheme or "forced savings plans'' was long overdue and he hoped progress would be made on one this session.

As for Independence, he said Government's position was "straightforward''. A Cox critical of Government's summer jobs scheme From Page 7 sented and a Referendum would follow.

Shadow Finance Minister Mr. Eugene Cox questioned the handling of the base closures and takeovers. And he was critical of the Government summer jobs scheme, claiming Bermuda College students were taking all the jobs while those studying abroad at far greater expense were left with a small selection to choose from.

The scholarship system also needed reviewing, he said. Some students were getting so many they did not know what to do with them, he claimed. While others were not getting any because instead of being academically qualified, they had technical skills.

Mr. Cox accused Government of "throwing out a barrage of tidbits'' on the base takeovers "just to say they're doing something''.

The Minister responsible, the Hon. Grant Gibbons, had said 30 percent of the airport jobs would be for Bermudians, but had failed to say in what field those jobs were, he said.

He accused Government of relying too heavily on consultants. In three years time, he suspected, supplementary estimates would be tabled and we'll find "they have taken us to the cleaners''.

On the issue of the environment, Mr. Cox expressed concern Government's environmental engineer Dr. Tom Sleeter was reportedly too busy to address the Clean Air Act let alone the Bases clean-up. They could be contaminated waste in the soil, but, "What do we know about it?, he asked.

Mr. Cox said Government should be stating a position on Independence "rather than sitting on the sidelines''.

Independence and income tax had been on past PLP platforms, he said, and now Government was "getting one of their senior statesmen to float a trial balloon out there...because they are having difficulty finding funds''. He was referring to former UBP member Sir John Plowman's support of income tax this week in The Royal Gazette .

The two controversial issues were not on the PLP's platform now, it had removed them because the people did not want them, but if it were to become Government it would "educate the people about the two issues and what they mean then fight the next election'', he said.

His comments caused cries of "a hidden agenda'' from the Government side.

Turning to crime, Mr. Cox said, "Those Hon. gentlemen on the other side must get off their rear ends and do something about it.'' Mr. Cox called on Government to find jobs, training and education for Bermudians coupled with support for the Police service so that illegal activity could be punished.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cox heaped criticism upon the directors of BF&M who he accused of "stripping their assets.'' He said that had the Opposition been accused of this offence there would be headlines all over the newspapers.

To avoid such events causing damage to Bermuda's "nice reputation,'' Mr. Cox called on Government and the judiciary to get a system of regulation in place.

This system, he warned, should not over regulate but it should ensure that nothing was done on the island that is contrary to the law overseas.

Government Minister responsible for Youth, Sport and Recreation the Hon.

Pamela Gordon said that the debate on the Throne Speech had shown that both sides, despite their different methods, want the best for Bermuda.

However, she said, there was one thing that particularly concerned her and that included the often "confusing messages'' that have been sent to youth for too long.

Ms Gordon said it was important to understand that there were many young people who were successfully meeting the goals they set for themselves while others were being lost.

Unfortunately she said much attention is focused on the negative things that some young people became involved in instead of acknowledging the good that they achieved first.

Those young people who managed to achieve academically while overseas should be "lauded,'' she added.

In response to charges that there "was nothing for the young people to do,'' Ms Gordon outlined several projects that her Ministry had carried out to date.

They included invitations which were mailed last December to university and Bermuda College students who expressed an interest in jobs working with children.

She said that until then most of the jobs in summer day camps were held by teachers but the potential for burnout was great because these teachers did not have an opportunity to rejuvenate themselves.

Instead these jobs are going to be given to these university and college students which would help them to get a work ethic.

"Many youth do not know what work entails,'' she said. "Many don't know what doing a day's work for a day's pay is all about.

"The reality is that many Bermudains have a tendency...now that things are a little more comfortable of not wanting to work on their birthdays. They want to work 9 to 5 Monday to Friday with holidays and nights off.'' This was the reason, Ms Gordon charged, that the hospitality industry was suffering.

While acknowledging that this criticism did not apply to everyone, she said that the community needed to be re-educated.

Moreover, Ms Gordon said that although there were some students with the necessary skills, education and experience who were unable to find work, she found it strange that while there were many claims that jobs were going to non-Bermudians these letters of complaint were not reaching the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs. "Whatever letters reach that office I can assure you are acted on,'' Ms Gordon said in her capacity as acting Labour and Home Affairs Minister.

Continued tomorrow SIR JOHN SWAN.