of Bermuda, that the Island has much to be proud of.

The remarkable tale of survival and success is told in The Royal Gazette's special section on the Millennium and in many ways, it is the tales of individual success and innovation against adversity that shine through.

The Island's ability to adapt and change -- from the failure of tobacco to the development of an international sea trade, from the development of agriculture to the explosive growth of tourism and international business -- was due in many ways to the efforts of individuals who rose to challenges and overcame them.

This is not to say that all was right or good in Bermuda. Slavery and the ensuing segregation remain marks against those who developed and settled Bermuda, as they are in most of the nations of the Western Hemisphere.

But there are stories too of enlightened and courageous individuals, from the reformers who brought about the emancipation of slavery, to the Gladys Morrells who achieved women's suffrage, to the E.F. Gordons and Roosevelt Browns who brought about universal adult suffrage and universal civil rights for all.

The rapid development of Bermuda from a rural and backward society in the early 1900s to the sophisticated and wealthy society we know today is a testament to those who recognised that economic success could not come without democratic advances as well, and that a society in which one part of the population is held to be inferior to the other is an unhealthy one. Indeed the overriding theme of this century is the inspiring drive for universal adult suffrage and equal rights.

The Progressive Labour Party's achievement of power in the last years of the last decade of the last century of the Millennium finally showed that Bermuda is a true democracy. The fact that the Island has two parties which can both give the Island good government is a healthy sign for the future.

To be sure, the current Government is no more perfect than the United Bermuda Party was. Mistakes will be made and debate, sometimes fierce, will continue in the new century. The need for strong political leadership on both sides of the house and an independent and vibrant judiciary and civil service will be even greater in the future.

The challenges of the next 100 years will be many, ranging from maintaining the economic success and stability with which Bermuda has been blessed since the Second World War to ensuring that those who are disadvantaged by age, poor education or ill health will not fall through the cracks.

Greater innovation and the ability to recognise change and to adapt to it quickly will be more important than ever in "the information age'' and Bermudians will have to learn that the world does not revolve around these 20 square miles. But if the last four centuries have shown anything, it is that Bermudians can pull together when the times get tough and find new ways to survive and grow.

With that in mind, we wish our readers a happy and prosperous New Year and wish you the best in the new century. We will see you in 2000.