Expect plenty of triumphalism about the last decade, along with a dash of sobriety about the future, today when the Government presents the Throne Speech.

There will almost certainly be a lengthy detailing of the accomplishments of the Progressive Labour Party since its November 9, 1998 general election victory. Admissions of failures in the past decade will be absent.

As for the future, the tone should be much more sombre as the global economic crisis continues to unfold.

Indeed, this Throne Speech should be a preview for the February Budget, and may warn of the need for belt tightening.

A Government spokesman said this week that the primary focus of the speech would be on the family and youth, and, among other things, the expansion of the Mirrors Programme, plans for sports facilities already unveiled by Elvin James before his move from Youth and Sport to Education.

Education should retain a commitment to moving the reform process along more quickly, and it would be welcome if it also contained a promise to consult on the plans.

But the economy, without question, needs to be at the centre of the speech when it is read by Governor Sir Richard Gozney. No issue is now of more importance and this Government still needs to make a further commitment on the importance of international business and the need for it to remain and grow in Bermuda.

At the same time, there should, but probably won't, be some promise of concessions for local businesses, aside from the economic empowerment zones, whose ability to survive and retain employment levels is critical.

What seems likely is that social programmes promised by the PLP in 2007 will survive, including free public transport (only partially introduced), free daycare for means tested families (just started) and Future Care, which remains in the works.

The critical issue now will be how those programmes will be paid for.

Since Finance Minister Paula Cox is seeking ten percent cuts in other expenditures without any public sector job losses, the Speech should, but almost certainly won't, detail what programmes are being cut to achieve this. That does not include the reductions in things like Government travel, cars and so forth, which while crowd-pleasing and welcome, create fairly small savings.

There is also likely to be mention made of Bermuda's 400th anniversary in 2009. What will be interesting to see, especially after Premier Dr. Ewart Brown confirmed that any decision on Independence will take place through a referendum, is whether there is any move towards Independence on the anniversary of Bermuda's permanent settlement.

One would also hope that, taking a leaf out of US President-elect Barack Obama's book, there will be some references to inclusion and bringing this divided community together.

As has been noted before, the Brown administration has tended to take its approach to governance – although not its policies – out of the Bush-Rove book, in which partisanship and differences are emphasised and unity and inclusion are given short thrift.

President-elect Obama showed there is another way that can be successful and the question of whether Dr. Brown gets that message, and means it, may be answered today.