importance of their right to vote as well as letting them know that education is the key to the future.

Lady Blatch, who is a junior minister for education and a member of the House of Lords, took part in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Women's Suffrage in Bermuda.

Lady Blatch was invited to Bermuda by the anniversary committee headed by Dr.

Marjorie Bean. She was the guest speaker at an anniversary banquet tonight at the Sonesta Beach Hotel.

"Women fought so hard and so long and the successive generations need to be reminded how important that right to vote is,'' she said.

"Women have a reservoir of talent and it can be used in all aspects. They have contributions to make and it should be recognised.

"Because I was not raised in a time when woman were not allowed to vote, I can only try and put myself in that position, when thinking what it was like.'' Lady Blatch said she could not understand why it took so long for woman to gain the vote. A man and a woman should both be allowed a stake in their political future.

"There are some women in Bermuda who remember a time when women were not allowed to vote and are deeply appreciative of that right because they lived in a time when they could not.

"It is important to remind people that voting was something fought very hard for.'' Lady Blatch said that now that women do have the right to vote, men probably wonder why it took so long as well.

Before leaving the Island, Lady Blatch, who is also a member of the Privy Council, was due yesterday to address students and teachers at the Bermuda College on education across the world.

"I will be discussing how education can help young people face the challenges of the 21st Century,'' she said. "Education will help prepare young people to meet the challenges and make a contribution to the health and wealth of the country.

"I will be telling them that as men and women they have equal access to the offices of Government. They can make a contribution.

She added she also wanted to remind the students about the importance of voting and taking it seriously.

"They have a duty to use that right. Young people should be taught how precious that right is.

"They need to remember the people who made sacrifices to get the right to vote. In my country, some people either died for it or never saw it come to fruition.'' Today she will unveil a plaque at the Somerset Police Station which was the site of a notable battle for some suffragettes and their leader Mrs. Gladys Misick Morrell.

"Mrs. Morrell exercised the very first vote for woman and fought extremely hard. She was also a very patient woman,'' Lady Blatch said.

"I feel it is an enormous privilege to be involved in both these presentations and personally I regard it as a very special thing to do.''