Opposition Health Minister Louise Jackson said she found the government's Throne Speech very "airy fairy" when it came to issues for Seniors and thought the Health Minister had misled them on how much was paid by the Government for HIP.

She approached the subject of comprehensive structure to protect seniors from abuse, which she said was missing from the Throne Speech and also questions Government saying 98 million was paid for HIP.

But Health Minister Nelson Bascome stood to give two points of order, one for each point, saying the Government was saying that was the total cost of HIP including what the public paid and if she was speaking of abuse it was in the speech.

Patrice Minors, a PLP backbencher, stood to speak on the harvesting included in the beginning of the Throne Speech.

She said: "It began with a quote by Henry Clay: 'The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer.'

"This Government was harvesting. On December 18 we got the seeds we will sow."

Ms. Minors said she believes the harvesting will be done in education, the economic empowerment zone, the Mirrors programme, health care for seniors and the hospital.

In what was a night mostly filled with teasing and laughs it was also a night that saw many new ministers indoctrinated into the manners of the house as they gave their very first speeches.

First to speak was Donte Hunt of St. George's South and Opposition Minister Family Development and Social Rehabilitation, who thanked his wife and team and said he was worried about the family structure on the Island.

Having two young children himself, Mr. Hunt said he could understand the stresses and difficulties families face, but as the number of divorces increase the more likely Bermuda will see increased truancy.

He said: "As the divorce rate increases, youth delinquency increases. I encourage you to develop youth centres. Places for young people not only to have fun but good for sport too."

New Minister of Environment and Sport, Elvin James who said both him and Education Minister Randy Horton had decided on their own 100 Day Challenge.

By next year, both men would be at the same fitness level that helped them win the Cup Match Cup for Somerset 30 years ago.

After the laughs died down, Mr. James promised an integrated approach with both health and the environment because one could not be without the other.

One initiative would be a beverage deposit scheme which would offer refunds for returned bottles. A second he spoke about was fitness trails, which would provide stations indicating different exercises.

He said: "We have decided to put fitness trails through the parks and railway trails in recognition that there is the 100 Day Challenge."

Following Mr. James, Cole Simons, Deputy Opposition Leader and Environment Minister said he was worried that the handicapped were left out of the Throne Speech as well as a lack of focus on a National Agriculture Plan.

He said: "In 2001 we sanctioned a plan but that is not seen. We have to support the fishing industry."

Mr. Simons said he thought the problem was a lack of continuity as the Environment Ministry has had, he believed six different ministers over the last few years.

While Mr. Simons contended with hecklers, tempers flared as backbencher Walter Lister, said he thought the opposition disenfranchised the public by questioning the registration of voters in the run-up to the election.

Opposition House Leader and Party whip, John Barritt had to stand to give three points of order to explain the opposition had only done what was their right before Deputy Speaker of the House, Dame Jennifer Smith had to tell Mr. Lister, Mr. Barritt was right and he should probably wrap up.

Finally, the third new Member of Parliament to give his maiden speech, Shawn Crockwell, opposition Transportation Minister said he hoped the unpleasant election would be behind the country.

He said: "The chasm between our races is bigger then ever before. I believe in hope not hate. As the Government continues with their Big Conversation I hope we can encourage talking."

On transportation, Mr. Crockwell said he hoped the Government would work on cutting down the congestion on the roads, which will in turn cut down on road rage and accidents.

PLP backbencher Michael Scott saying he was hopeful that the success Bermuda had seen since his party was in power would continue.

He spoke of the health care system, for which he was minister for a brief period last year, saying that Kurron had done a good job with introducing an excellent health care system at the hospital.

Mr. Scott said: "Kurron's success at the hospital has been part of the passion for building an effective health care system in the hospital. We are getting value for money."

Almost overlooked by the Speaker of the House, Zane DeSilva, a new PLP backbencher, offered to bring a box to stand on next time.

Being the only white Minister for the PLP, Mr. DeSilva spent his maiden speech imploring white Bermudians to support the Big Conversation and to take a look at race in their lives.

He said: "The Big conversation is for me being a lighter colour then my other colleagues on this side of the house, is that the Big Conversation, contrary to popular belief was not a divider that the Premier and the PLP wanted.

"Most will agree the country was divided long before the Premier was born and will be divided when he has left. What white people need to do is to take a little bit more active roll with dealing with the race problem in Bermuda."

Wayne Perinchief, who has served in the House for 10 years, followed saying his views hopefully came from his wisdom and not his age, but he saw more similarities between the parties then differences. Echoing what many of his party members, but also the opposition had been saying all night, he believed the time was ripe for both parties to work together.

Speaking far more confidently about the race issue in Bermuda, Mr. Perinchief said he believed the Island is actually far less dispart then broadcast.

He said: "I have been heartened by the tone of the debate today. Most of the people have been objective even humorous. I haven't felt the rancour that the past houses have felt.

"I am less cynical then most about race. The problems I heard on the door steps of black Bermudians and white Bermudians were the same.

"They worried about issues of education, security, their children and their inability to buy a house. If Bermuda would just look around then we live in a very similar environment. If we are less cynical and more trusting of our neighbour then the issues of races will disintegrate."

As the speaker stood to ask one last time if there were any other members to speak and just as his gavel was to fall, John Barritt, Opposition House Leader, Whip and Legislative Reform Shadow Minister stood.

Mr. Barritt continued the show of bipartisanship and stretching a hand across the floor as the last speaker for the opposition, but also called for a code of conduct for the House.

He said: "The Government is going to look at the Municipalities act and it's in need for an overhaul. But if we are going to do it for the Corporations then we should lead by example.

"It would be nice if we introduced our code of conduct. These things are common place in other jurisdictions. We need to start building bridges up here.

"We need to open up the community meetings to the public and so we are forced to work together."

But while both parties gave lip service to the idea of bipartisanship, the idea almost disappeared as Health Minister Nelson Bascome stood to give the second reading of the Bermuda Hospitals Board Amendment Act 2008.

Opposition Leader, Kim Swan immediately objected as did Mr. Barritt and Patricia Gordon-Pamplin explaining they did not know it was going to be presented. Glenn Blakeney, the PLP Whip said he had spoken to Mr. Barritt about it on Wednesday to which Mr. Barritt jumped out of his seat arguing he would not be called a liar.

However, trying to calm the House and as he said, "in the spirit of the House," Mr. Bascome would withdraw the motion and hold it for next week.