A straight from the shoulder, down to earth keynote speech, full of warmth, wit and humour, was delivered by Judge Glenda Hackett to patrons at the 42nd Annual Banquet of the ruling Bermuda Progressive Labour Party.

From the moment the nationally famed, award-winning TV Judge was introduced by Premier and Party Leader Dr. Ewart Brown, she began her 50-minute discourse in high gear and stayed there except when she went into overdrive, relating how as the first African American chief judge and head of her nation's largest juvenile court system in Atlanta, Georgia, she revolutionised the approach to dealing with young people through her innovative and compassionate judicial administration. s

A personal friend of the Premier's wife, Wanda Henton Brown, Judge Hackett entertained and enlightened her audience about how growing up in a low income Atlanta neighbourhood, a combination of tough and compassionate love from her parents steered her through college, university, on to law school and a career that earned her a listing among the 100 best and brightest persons in corporate America, before she hesitatingly became a judge.

A divorced mother of two sons, Judge Hackett was accompanied to Bermuda by her 88-year-old mother, a retired teacher.

Another highlight of the banquet was the entertainment by "Bermuda's natural resource", Gene Steede and songstress Madree Cross Musson.

The banquet also coincided with the 11th anniversary of the sweep by former Party Leader Dame Jennifer Smith of the UBP from power in the November 1998 election.

Dame Jennifer and former Premier and Party Leader and Premier Alex Scott shared the spotlight as head table guests, along with recently elected party chairman Anthony Santucci.

To further highlight the PLP's ascendancy, beautiful gold medals studded with precious stones were presented to stalwarts who helped steer the PLP through some stormy seas en route to governance. In alphabetical order, the honourees were former MPs Dr. Barbara Ball (represented by BIU general secretary Helena Molly Burgess), Eugene Blakeney, Walter Brangman, Reginald Burrows, Gilbert Darrell (represented by his niece Ms. Laverne Furbert,) Arthur Hodsgon and Stanley Morton, ex-Senator and party chairman Ira Philip, former Deputy Leader and MP Walter Roberts, and former MPs Lionel Simmons, Ottiwell Simmons and Calvin Smith.

The bemedalled stalwarts and proxies are pictured on Page 20.