people have a grievance. Sometimes those grievances, some imagined, some rooted in the past, some very real and many of not very great significance, work to the detriment of Bermuda. They create a climate which can only be called "a downer''. People eventually begin to think and to believe that Bermuda is a bad place to live or, at least, a place with too many flaws.

Mind, one of the advantages of a small Country is the ability of people who would be lost in the shuffle in large countries to get themselves heard. In Bermuda, very few grievances go unexpressed or unheard. Yet there do seem to be a large number of complaints for a Country as successful as Bermuda and from a people whose way of life and standard of living are at the top of the world.

Some of the complaining, of course, is just a fashion. You can be heard, so be heard. Many Bermudians complain as a kind of game... "Go on, get him''.

Bermudians like nothing better than to complain about their politicians, about "Front Street'' or about Government.

Some of the complaining comes from politicians who want to keep themselves in the public eye. Some comes from people who just enjoy making "a fuss''. Some could be dealt with very easily with a little care and a bit of attention. The amazing thing is that because these grievances get expressed, very few people are willing to admit that things in Bermuda are not too bad. The inflation rate is very low. Unemployment is a concern but it is still low. Despite trouble in some of its sectors, the economy is growing, slowly but growing none the less. The transition of the airfield from the United States to Bermuda went without a hitch.

Tired by the last election, the long and unnecessary Independence debate, the political turmoil which followed the referendum vote and now by a number of almost farcical political blunders, the public is gloomy on Bermuda's future.

They do not see economic rejuvenation and they are concerned that political turmoil will continue. The public is nervous and unsettled. That, of course, leads to grievances. It also leads to a natural exaggeration of the problems and to denigration of successes.

The truth is that it is not as easy as it once was in Bermuda, but then it is not as easy as it once was in most countries. It may be that we allow temporary problems, short term blunders, to distract us from the fact that Bermuda is still the best.

Every so often we need to give ourselves a pat on the back, a little boost, a well done medal. We need to remember that the roses are a little harder to grow these days but there are still plenty growing.