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Good evening.

The first 100 days of this administration have been marked by a renewed energy in Bermuda. I have been encouraged by the compliments and echoes of support. For that I am tremendously grateful. The people of Bermuda have made it clear that they expect great things from this administration and it is the aim of this government to prove their trust in our abilities well founded.

This has not been the mission of any one man or woman but it is the code by which the team of Ministers, Senators and Parliamentary colleagues who make up this government have consistently abided.

With a mix of youth and experience we have signaled a new era in Bermuda in which the sharing of ideas is welcomed, where people are encouraged to be entrepreneurs, where our social issues are tackled directly and the dignity of all Bermudians is respected.

A sound economy is a pre-requisite for the quality of life Bermuda enjoys.

The Minister of Finance has presided over a period of sustained growth of Bermuda's economy but it is not unbridled and is prudently managed to ensure that we remain the envy of much of the developed world. The Standard and Poors upgrade of Bermuda's long term ratings from "stable" to "positive" reflects this continued vibrant international business sector coupled with ongoing sound economic management.

As the Minister prepares to table her fourth Budget I am proud to report that the economic stability of Bermuda is sound and that the stewardship of the public purse has been prudent and progressive.

Recently, I had the opportunity to share an account of the remarkable progress in the tourism industry. These successes have seen us reach many of the goals set in January 2005 and coincide with a level of interest from the development community unseen in Bermuda for decades.

Within these first 100 days, the announcement of recognized, five-star brands coming to our shores has been a critical component in this effort to revitalize our tourism. Jumeirah and Ritz Carlton have committed to Bermuda and their presence is the vote of confidence we have lacked for so long.

Perhaps the most encouraging fact of the last few months is the double digit growth, year over year in the number of visitors to Bermuda. We are growing ever closer to ending the negative perception of a "low season" in Bermuda's tourism.

Law and good order underpins almost everything that we do in Bermuda. The new Ministry of Public Safety and Housing has separated out the security services and provided them with a Minister who has come from their ranks and is keen to address long-standing issues internally and in service delivery.

We have some of the most committed uniformed men and women anywhere and through an aggressive round of consultation the Minister of Public Safety has shepherded through Cabinet a number of much needed reforms in the area of Corrections, The Bermuda Fire Service and the Bermuda Regiment. In the coming weeks and months as each of these is announced publicly the people of Bermuda will be made aware of this government's commitment not only to law and good order, but to the men and women who work on the front line to provide it.

Recognizing that we are in some areas, short on resources and manpower, I have initiated discussions with the Governor on creative ways to combat crime which will strike at the very heart of criminal operations that exploit our challenges and serve to diminish the quality of life we deserve to enjoy in this community.

The challenge of dealing with the issues of affordable housing has been accepted and acted upon with vigour by this government. In these first 100 days, Anchorage Villas with 16 units and Butterfield Lane with a total of 12 units were opened. Each step means another family housed and the Bermuda Housing Corporation is unwavering in its mandate to house our people. Many projects will see ground broken soon and with the prospect of rentals geared to the income of tenants, the much needed economic relief for hard working people will become a reality. The public private partnership effort at Rockaway will see the 100 unit Seniors Residence there completed in June of this year.

In conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Public Safety and Housing has assembled a Derelict and Abandoned Housing Task Force who have identified properties to be renovated and returned to the housing stock. Since the Minister's public announcement of this initiative I am pleased to say that owners have already started to come forward and are discussing a means to work with us to speedily house their fellow Bermudians.

For too long in this country we have toyed with the idea of addressing our social ills.

As a result some of the dysfunction in our communities has taken on the appearance of normalcy. I committed to honesty in our discourse and to do otherwise would be to perpetuate some of the issues that have remained unaddressed. That is why this administration put the Ministry of Social Rehabilitation at the forefront of this fight to arrest the spiral of decay in our families, homes and other institutions.

This work is perhaps more challenging than housing as it cuts to the very heart of our communities. But we must succeed at this as the alternative is to surrender a generation of our countrymen to under-development and under-achievement.

With the support of Cabinet the Minister of Social Rehabilitation has implemented the Uncommon Results programme, locally branded as Mirrors. Ladies and gentlemen, this youth intervention programme is destined to change lives as it builds young people up from hopelessness and an existence of disarray in which they become liabilities to their community. I am personally committed to rescuing a generation of Bermudians who for whatever reason are reluctant or unable to take their places as true citizens in their country.

To underscore the need for renewal in our communities I am tonight appealing to churches, community organizations, businesses, sports clubs and you, the people of Bermuda to join with me and your government in declaring 2007 as Bermuda's Year of the Family. I have asked the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs to spearhead this initiative and you can expect to hear more on it shortly. The family is the basic unit of society and I believe that if it is strengthened much of what we set out to do as government will be made far more worthwhile and meaningful for the people we serve.

The importance of sport as a developmental tool for young people cannot be overstated.

We all know of countless examples of Bermudians who through sport have become fine citizens and who have gone on to contribute much to this society. Our commitment to cricket is well known and I am proud to continue supporting our national team as they are engaged in the delicate work of building a unit that can gel and work in concert on and off the field of play. For anyone who has participated in competitive sport at the highest level, it is a battle of will, physical endurance and mental agility, a formula not achieved overnight but developed over time.

Our other national sport is of course football. With a commitment of $15 million over the next five years, this government has invested in our future. It is not enough for us to confine our national pride to a few days of the sporting calendar.

Support of Bermuda's athletes is a full time engagement and in these first 100 days the very real support of football by this government is meant to lead by example in this community.

Our young people have already had the benefit of significant financial investment in the education system and the provision of first rate facilities is important. It is time now to face facts and to deal with the performance of our students and urgently address the issues of our system of education as it is not equipping our young people to compete in this increasingly competitive global environment.

The reality of our situation demanded urgent attention and the full scale review of Bermuda's education system is not only warranted but is vital to preserving the delicate balance that is Bermuda. I am confident that the increased emphasis on family, our investment in sports development and this review of education in our country are the ingredients required to take us to the next level.

Attention to world events indicates that even we on this small island must have global environmental concerns. The effect of human behaviour on our weather and like conditions has been given the force of scientific support. Bermuda must play its part in addressing environmental issues of the day. The Ministry of Works and Engineering has therefore in this first 100 days prepared the launch of a massive public campaign aimed at making recycling the habit of every home on the Island.

In addition to this initiative the Ministry of the Environment, Telecommunications and ecommerce has provided 12 environmental grants to entities devoted to agriculture and the enhancement of our environment. The reform of telecommunications in Bermuda is an important matter and as such the Government is engaged in a consultative process which is intended to solicit feedback from all stakeholders in this crucial area. We are committed to this process and look forward to listening intently to the views of any and all interested persons. This issue is far from settled and I encourage the public to participate in this important process.

Protecting our children in 2007 means ensuring that the tools designed for learning and broadening their horizons are not used to hurt them. The House of Assembly has now passed amendments to the Criminal Code to protect our children from exploitation via the internet. This ground-breaking legislation is an important step in the fight to make our children safe. We must be vigilant and take all measures necessary to continue protecting our children at all costs.

Tonight affords me the opportunity to put an end to many of the misconceptions that have arisen regarding this government's plan for improving healthcare in Bermuda. It is not right for people who may not have the funds to afford the doctor of their choice, to be herded into one centre and labeled in the pursuit of their right to proper medical attention.

Our plan to close the clinic bearing this name "indigent" is designed to remove the stigma of this practice and to add dignity to the lives of people who may have fallen on hard times and for whom society should provide help and not labels. Our plan allows for Bermudians of any economic circumstances to attend the Doctor of their choice.

The creation of Urgent Care Centres has been a priority of the Ministry of Health as we move towards a system of healthcare designed with patient well-being at its core.

Our seniors who have toiled to create this Paradise we now enjoy deserve to convalesce in facilities that truly reflect the outstanding contributions they have made.

The Sylvia Richardson Care Facility in St. Georges, marks a turning point in our government's commitment to provide our seniors with the best care we can provide with all the comforts of home. This purpose-built facility stands as a model to the world and it is our plan to bring this level of care to other locations in Bermuda.

Perhaps the most rewarding experience of this first 100 days was an electrifying interaction with Bermudian students resident in the United Kingdom.

We met in London and adopted a format for our meeting that lent itself to the full expression of their views, frustrations and expectations about Bermuda.

In our exchange I garnered a clear understanding of the issues confronting them as young people who were torn between a country that seemed to want them to study hard but fell short sometimes in welcoming them back.

As young people can, they enlightened me and reaffirmed for me that it is the responsibility of this government to create an environment in which they can return to the land of their birth and not struggle to be recognized or fight simply for equal opportunity.

This government will welcome you back with open arms! I resolved then that as many Bermudian students as possible, wherever they are, should have the opportunity to express themselves to their government's leader in the same manner.

Therefore over the coming months I will visit North American centres of learning with significant Bermudian student populations taking the message to them that their government respects their chosen field of study and is committed to working with them to make them the employees of first choice in their own country.

I have invited members of the international business community and hoteliers to see first hand those people whom they should be seeking out to continue the success of these twin pillars of our economy. A significant project is underway within the Ministry of Labour and Immigration to compile a Register of Overseas students so that we know who is where and studying what at all times?..we must combat misinformation with facts.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this first 100 days has been incredible. It has been a period of hard work, punctuated by several successes. As the Legislature returns from its Christmas Recess, we are working even now to ensure that in addition to the Government's economic plans, significant legislative initiatives are tabled and debated in this term. This may mean long days in the House and the Senate, but we, on both sides of the aisle, are elected to do the work of government; sometimes that cannot be done between 9 and 5.

As this administration continues in the spirit in which it began, I will continue to lead a team whose sole objective is to make Bermuda a better place. Taking our island-home to the next level requires strength, courage, wisdom and patience. The team assembled and charged with this responsibility possesses all of these qualities.

We will continue to listen to you the people and to exercise the duty of governance with which you have entrusted us. We will not shy away from tough decisions and we will always do what is best for Bermuda first.

Our resolve has been tested and we have succeeded. That same resolve is what we take into this next 100 days and beyond as we continue in one of our community's highest forms of service??.service to the people of Bermuda.

Our resolve has been tested and we have succeeded. That same resolve is what we take into this next 100 days and beyond as we continue in one of our community's highest forms of service??.service to the people of Bermuda.

Thank you and good night.