We have tried to keep abreast of what seemed like a million and one newsworthy events this past week aside from the most momentous of all Barack Obama's historic election to the presidency of the United States.

On the local front there has been the historic election of the first woman President of Bermuda's Upper House of Parliament, Carol Anne Bassett. We have been engrossed in a variety of activities laid on by the ruling Progressive Labour Party celebrating its first decade at the helm of the Bermuda Government.

Among other things there was the ceremonial convening of Parliament followed by another impressive Remembrance Day parade and wreath-laying at the Cenotaph, honouring Bermuda's war dead.

Also there have been some church- and Masonic-related activities engaging our attention, like the flying visit to Bermuda of the Presiding Prelate of the 1st District of the AME Church for a town hall meeting with pastors and members of local churches.

Also there was the installation of the Rt. Wor. Master & Officers of Lodge Somers Isle No. 103 GRS, Sandys Parish. The master for the ensuing year is Bro. Lloyd Smart. In Hamilton there was also another presentation by the Free Masons Fund of another sizeable cheque to a worthy charity (see photo).

I almost forgot to mention the launch in the Dr. E.F. Gordon Memorial Hall of my latest book, CHAMP! The One and Only Alma Hunt. My gratitude goes to those who braved the elements to attend.

Another event at the BIU was the premiere of the PLP's tenth anniversary video, Three Straight, Solid as a Rock. Leaders and rank and file of the ruling party attended a morning service at St. Paul AME Church. The PLP's celebration concludes tomorrow night with the party's 41st annual banquet at Fairmont Southampton. Guest speaker will be US Congressman G.K. Butterfield, the grandson of a Bermudian from St. George's who settled in the southern United States many years ago.

Highlights of this past week are seen in our DCI pictures of Parliament's reconvening and a presentation by the Free Masons.

The first woman president of Bermuda's Upper House, Senator Carol Anne Marie Bassett, is seen (top left) for the first time minutes as she coolly took her place at the convening of Parliament. She's flanked by Premier Ewart Brown and House Speaker Stanley Lowe. Other dignitaries are the Mayor of HamiltonSutherland Madeiros, Chief Justice Richard Ground and other members of the Judiciary. Top right, Senator. Bassett is with Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley. Senator Bassett is married to Roderick Bassett of Southampton, mother of three sons and granddaughters. At centre, she presides for the first time over the new-look Senate. Others are Joan Dillas Wright, taking her seat for the first time as an Independent senator, with Government senators, left counter clockwise, Attorney General Kim Wilson, Walton Brown, Thaao Dill and leader David Burch, Independent Dr. Walwyn Hughes, and newly-appointed UBP senator Michael Fahy.

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Another local charity has received a donation from the Freemasons Fund of Bermuda (bottom left). This time the recipient was the Bermuda Society for the Blind. FFB president Neville Tyrrell, fourth from left presents a $2,000 cheque to society chairman Brian Billings. Looking on are John Dale, fund PRO; secretary Duane Dill, secretary; Sean Pitcher, 1st vice-president and Christopher Brown, 2nd vice-president.

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It was ten years ago that Dame Jennifer Smith's name was indelibly written into the pages of Bermuda's history as the one who led the PLP to victory after ending the UBP's 30-year grip on power and out of the political wilderness to the bright New Day that dawned on November 9, 1998. That's the day of what we've been calling Bermuda's Second Emancipation as she was sworn in as Premier of the first PLP Government. Although that was ten years ago with all that has happened since, Dame Jennifer said she has not had time to celebrate! So on Sunday she hosted a belated 'thank-you luncheon' for 100 or so persons who had, as I would put it, 'held her back' during those hectic transitional times from Opposition Leader to Government Leader and beyond. The buffet was at the Carriage House in St. George's. She seemingly just wanted to have a good old-fashioned 'chow, chops and cheer' with political friends as seen in my photos at far left.

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At the convening of Parliament last week Premier Ewart Brown hosted ten special visitors as part of his guest list for the Throne Speech. The ten were Berkeley Institute S4 students enrolled in a class called "Citizenship" conducted by their social studies instructor Owen Darrell. Mr. Darrell said when he introduced the Legislative Process topic in the Citizenship class he knew his students were not really connected to the material at hand; and he thought getting them close to the action during the convening would translate into better results in the classroom. So he wrote the Premier requesting special seats. The Premier said in a letter to Mr. Darrell that ordinarily he would "have to pass on such a request because it might lead to an avalanche of similar requests from teachers all across the country". However, since he was teaching a class called Citizenship, it seemed wise to accommodate his request as part of the learning process.And the Premier promised to attend the Citizenship class later in the term. The class covers a wide range of topics focusing on human rights, the Constitution, the Legislature and the Judiciary. According to Mr. Darrell, it is designed to teach the principles of responsible citizenship in a targeted manner using open discussion. The students are seen above with copies of the Throne Speech after it was delivered by Governor Sir Richard Gozney (seen above right).