Bermuda is by its nature an intensely self-critical place, and people are very quick to say what is wrong with the way things are in the community.

The media may have some part in this, because as a watchdog it has a responsibility to talk about what's going wrong rather than what's going right; buses are supposed to run on time and it is only news when they do not.

But talk radio, letters to the Editor and conversations in the backyard will often focus on problems and bad news.

But that does not mean there is no room to either report good news or to praise the people who make real achievements in their lives and a story in yesterday's Lifestyle section of The Royal Gazette was a good example of that.

The story, about four young women who had attained their Bachelor of Business Administration degrees through a programme run jointly by the Bermuda College and Mount St. Vincent in Canada, was essentially about how tenacity and hard work can pay off.

It was also about innovation. There are plenty of people who cannot leave the Island for up to four years to attain educational and professional qualifications but who are academically capable of doing so.

The Bermuda College, which administers similar joint programmes for law, nursing and teaching, gives people the chance to get their degrees when they cannot leave home.

The story was also about cooperation. In almost every case, the students in the story said they could only attend classes, study and continue to work with the cooperation of their employers, who rearranged schedules and gave them time off so they could advance themselves. Without that help, it's fair to say the students would have found it much harder.

Nonetheless, it was the students themselves who made the effort, stayed up late studying, continued to work, and in several cases, raised their families while attaining their degrees. They deserve the credit for their accomplishment.

It would appear that all four feel that the effort was worth it, having secured good jobs and begun fulfilling careers.

If there is one disappointment, it is that there were only four students who completed the programme this year. They are the pioneers and have shown what can be done when you are determined and prepared to make some sacrifices.

Bermuda needs to ensure that more programmes of this kind are available so that more people can take advantage of them and improve themselves and the lives of those around them at the same time.

Bermuda continues to suffer from a disparity in jobs and incomes between whites and blacks and the Island also needs a highly qualified and motivated work force if it is to continue to grow and succeed.

For people who feel they cannot get ahead, people like Ronisa DeFontes, Nichole McHardy, Felicia Nichols and Takiyah Tucker show what is possible.