When Parliament resumes in November, Yvonne Muriel Roach will don her wig and black robe and take her place in the House of Assembly seat just below the Speaker.

She will be the first black Bermudian and the first woman to have held the post vacated earlier this year when James Smith was promoted to assistant Cabinet Secretary.

And she promises to bring diplomacy, patience and a healthy dose of tact to the position.

Nonetheless, she said she hoped the days of controversy were over and the autumn session will be smooth sailing.

Six years ago she thought about applying for the post when it became available, but declined because she did not think she was ready for it.

With the ensuing years, she said her confidence and ability have increased and when the opportunity presented itself a second time, she grabbed it with both hands.

Mrs. Roach began working for in the House of Assembly in 1980 as the assistant clerk.

"I was then responsible for the Senate but I helped out in the House as well,'' she said.

Mrs. Roach did not begin her working career with the intention of working in the House of Assembly.

She was a teacher at West Pembroke where she taught eight and nine year olds for five years. In 1979 she decided a change of career was in order.

"I just decided that I wanted a change and I started to look within Government,'' she said. "I applied for a management trainee job within Management Services.

"As a part of the training, I worked in various departments which enabled me to see how they worked. They were little jobs back then -- nothing all that great.'' Soon afterwards a vacancy opened up in the House of Assembly for an assistant clerk. She applied and was successful. The rest is history.

"I've been doing that job all this time. Typically when the House and Senate are meeting I will receive papers and legislation from the House that will be dealt with in the Senate.

"With this appointment I will be the chief clerk of the whole House. Every time they meet I will be there until they finish their meeting -- no matter what time of day that is.

"I will be responsible for all the legislation that has been tabled and it will be my job to see that it passes from the House to the Senate after it has been dealt with,'' she said.

And she said her appointment, while historic, was unspectacular compared to the Caribbean where there is a long tradition of female clerks.

"I am just one of that number now,'' she added. "Being the first woman (clerk) in Bermuda is not special either because there are women heading various departments in the Civil Service like the Accountant General. I am just taking my place among them.''