people and honour the promises made in its 1993 campaign "Blueprint''.

However, we are not at all sure that the UBP has it right when it announces hopes for a cultural centre and "Hall of Fame''.

We think Government needs to sort out its priorities because some things need attending to before we start building ourselves a "Hall of Fame''. We recognise that politicians will agree on their "Fame'' because they will want first place but we think the public is more aware than to agree to that.

The Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs says that the "Hall of Fame'' will "build pride in our own people''. He wants visitors and Bermudians to learn about "some of our people who have made Bermuda what it is''. That sounds ideal and we agree that there is a need for positive role models.

However, choosing those who are considered "famous'' will present impossible problems and it is very easy to imagine the shouting, pro and con, which will take place as names are chosen. Also, we would not like to be the ones to decide if "fame'' should be based on honesty and if some of these "models'' should be displayed, warts and all.

Some things are best left quietly alone.

Bermuda already has a number of cultural facilities, including a brilliant new National Gallery, which could do with more support. In fact, there appears to be a painting, sculpture and photography explosion but we are not short of galleries or exhibitions.

There does appear to be a lack of space for stage productions but locally produced amateur theatre is not what it once was when there were a number of talented and active local amateur groups. The Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs might well take a look at that.

Clearly the prestigious Bermuda Festival would like a theatre bigger and better equipped than the City Hall Theatre. That would be nice but, in reality, the Festival is only a few weeks a year and no country can build for the maximum. There was a time when there were good classical concerts throughout the year but they seem to be confined these days to the Festival.

In any case, there are people, notably Mr. Richard Butterfield, looking at plans for either enlarging the City Hall facilities or building a new arts centre. For some years now money has been raised toward that end and we think there is likely to be a much better result if an arts centre is achieved by the private sector than by Government. Government, after all, built the very awkward Ruth Seaton James Auditorium.

Government needs to take care of the constantly complained about problems at the National Stadium. It may be that we should take a hard look at the stadium we now have at Prospect. It has been suggested that the stadium should be given to the new Prospect school for its use and a new and more inclusive national sports facility should be created somewhere else, probably on US Base lands. It may be that facilities already at the base could be included in the plan.

Before it talks about a "Hall of Fame'' the Community ministry should be looking at facilities for young people and at freeing the community from the noise of large concerts. To that end we think it should be asking for the large new hanger at Kindley Field for such things as a skating rink, public gym, basketball courts, and to get concerts indoors with proper sound facilities.

We cannot help wondering who agrees on the priorities inside Government or if ministries simply go off in any old direction.