When four French sailors were left with a broken boat in Bermuda and no way home, they made their way to the only man in the position to help them - the Honourary French Consul in Bermuda.

The sailors were put in touch with the New York Consulate and the French Government provided them with aid to find their ways back to France.

And that is precisely the work Riquette Bonne-Smith can look forward to as she picks up the reigns from Edgar Humann as the Honourary French Consul this year.

Mrs. Bonne-Smith moved to Bermuda in 1982 when she heard there was a need for French teachers and upon her arrival she has worked to spread her culture.

She was born in Martinique, one of the French Caribbean Islands and like Bermuda, the connection to Europe provides citizenship in Europe.

After studying in Jamaica to become a teacher, she decided she needed to move further north to a tiny island she says always puzzles those in Martinique for its size and capabilities.

She was a lecturer at Bermuda College until she started La Maison Francais, a school for teaching French and the culture to Bermudians.

The school soon developed into the Bermuda International Language Institute, which offers instruction in, not only French, but also Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese.

Mrs. Bonne-Smith's resume reads like a one woman French Ambassador as she created ties between the Bermuda College and the Alliance Francais.

She served as the organisation's vice-president and then president, working for over ten years with an association, which aims to bring together people of different backgrounds so they might learn about France.

In order to carry out the association's mission, it holds dinners, hosts La Bastille day on July 14, shows French films and sends students to Canada and France as part of their language studies.

For her work spreading French culture, Mrs. Bonne-Smith was awarded the Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Palmes Academique or the Knight in the Order of the Academic Palms, in 2002.

Sealing her relationship with Bermuda is her marriage to Bermudian lawyer, Orlando Smith and her two boys, which positions her well in the realm of diplomat.

Mrs. Bonne-Smith said: "The position is really about looking after the interests of France in Bermuda, but also the interest of Bermuda in France."

And Mrs. Bonne-Smith has already experienced the demands of a position, which only provides a small stipend and requires on average five to ten hours a week, but may be more.

She added: "I've had a few issues already. A Bermudian was overseas in one of the French Islands and had an accident. He wasn't able to speak French so we are helping sort that out.

"I am also working on registering all of the French citizens so they can vote in April, as well as the normal visa, passport and other paperwork issues."

There are anywhere between 200 to 400 French citizens currently in Bermuda and recently Paris Re opened an office so the connections between countries are increasing as will the demands on the consul.

Former consul, Edgar Humann, gives Mrs. Bonne-Smith his full support and believes she is quite up to the task for a position, which took a year to fill.

"It takes a while to be picked by France as the pick has to go through France then London, Washington and then finally Bermuda must approve the choice.

"Mrs. Bonne-Smith is a very busy person, but I think busy people are often more productive and she is well-positioned for the job."

Mrs. Bonne-Smith is taking her position very seriously and warned French Nationals the consul would not be able to protect them, if they do not register with them so if they lose their passports the consul could help.

She also felt Bermudians should be aware that if they ever find themselves in trouble in France or their Islands, they can contact the consul in Bermuda for help because they have direct contacts to authorities in France.

Anyone with inquires are encouraged to contact Mrs. Bonne-Smith at 295-0009 or 296-5676.