St. David?s MP called for greater protection for women after learning of a woman whose husband threatened to cut her throat.

The woman had alerted Police who turned up to protect her as she went to pick up her kids from school but Police then left to attend a breaking and entering said the MP. Mrs. Roberts-Holhouser said women felt intimated about involving the Police, speaking during the motion to adjourn.

She said: ?We need to change the legislation, we need to make it possible that women will no longer feel intimidated about pressing charges.

She also called for greater protection for alleged victims of child abuse so that they were not interrogated by lawyers in the same room as the accused during court cases.

Also needed was a system where victims did not have to face their attackers in identity line-ups. She said: ?When will we move into the next century??

New PLP MP returned to the them of racism raised by the Opposition. He said it needed to be tackled but legislation would not change what was in people?s hearts and minds.

Opposition Health and Family Services spokesman called for Government to try harder to cut off the flow of drugs to the island. He said: ?I can?t see why they can?t focus on reducing the supply of drugs to our island. They are only coming two ways.?

The Police narcotics department needed to be bolstered with the same high tech gadgets used by the smugglers said Mr. Dunkley while manpower levels also needed to be boosted.

Southampton West Central?s Jon Brunson urged the Government to be bolder in dealing with youth issues.

He noted Government will review the child labour laws and consider child protection measures and was working on a blueprint for the national youth service.

But he said the wording of these promises was too vague while the national youth service blueprint had been in the pipeline for almost three years. New St. George?s West MP made his maiden speech to parliamentarians in the House of Assembly on Friday night.

Mr. Foggo used the speech to talk about his central theme of ?What a difference a day makes?. He cited important days in Bermuda?s recent history such as the General Elections on November 9, 1998 and July 24, 2003, as well as September 11, 2001, and the day Hurricane Fabian hit Bermuda, September 5, 2003.

Opposition Transport Spokesman said more should be done for Bermuda?s artists who Government Community Affairs Minister had admitted were ?struggling?.

He said he knew one who had been forced to either play abroad or pump gas in Bermuda.

And he attacked Government for a thin and self-interested throne speech which ushered in full-time minister. He said: ?It speaks to the priorities of this Government that when people want housing, they are increasing their pay. It?s sad and embarrassing.?

Mr. Butler spoke about the Government?s review of sports and workmen?s clubs, saying some clubs would not want help but those who co-operated could benefit.

The aim was not to take over clubs but give them a hand said Mr. Butler who said there had been a major shift in culture away from sporting clubs. Opposition MP Cole Simmons said sustainable development, mentioned in the throne speech, was a vital issue affecting Bermuda.

He called for a policy to make sure fishing stocks were not depleted and chided former premier Jennifer Smith for getting such a poor deal from the Americans after they vacated the baselands.

He said: ?From an environmental perspective this country was environmentally raped and the perpetrators were allowed to walk away with no charge.?

Crop insurance needed to be brought in for Bermuda?s farmers ? a protection enjoyed by farmers in the US and UK ? said Mr. Simons who urged Government to work with the private sector in introducing this. Environment Minister who said Government would have to pass legislation before it could help Bermuda?s Fabian-hit farmers financially. She said an environmental compliance officer would begin work in the new year enforcing legislation.

Shadow Education Minister called for more effort from the public school system. He noted that Bermuda has one of the highest percentages in the world of children who are not in public school, attending private and home schools instead.

In Bermuda that figure stands at around 40 percent, he said, leaving only 60 percent of the Island?s youth in public schools.

Education Minister expanded on some of the initiatives outlined in the Throne Speech, particularly in the area of Character Education.

She said seven action teams had been developed which were examining different areas of public education in hopes of making improvements. These areas included: marketing, class instruction, student acheivers, accountability, high achievers, system unity and partners.

Teachers from Somerset Primary, Elliot and Harrington Sound Primary had already taken part in the ?Living Values? training programme as part of the Character Education programme, she said, adding she hoped to involve all the primary schools within the year.