The people of Bermuda will expect reasons for the Progressive Labour Party's slow pace in its first year in power from tomorrow's Throne Speech, Acting Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons warned yesterday.

Dr. Gibbons said: "What we expect to see is a justification of why very little has been accomplished in the first year.

"Unfortunately, they will try to blame it on the previous Government. We will continue to see more of an effort to blame their own lack of progress on the prior government.'' He added: "I'm hoping we will begin to see a much clearer definition of what they intend to accomplish in their next year so the public will have a sense of what they intend to do to tackle major issues like housing, education and tourism, where so far we've seen very little.'' PLP chiefs could not be contacted yesterday to discuss what might be in the Throne Speech.

But Premier Jennifer Smith signalled the party's priorities in the coming year in the opening speech to the PLP annual conference on Monday.

Ms Smith promised the party faithful "action on more of the promises contained in our election platform..'' And that will probably mean new pushes to provide increases in affordable housing -- perhaps through a programme of new building and further renovations of old property.

Ms Smith also flagged up changes to the structure of Government services -- the Civil Service has already been tagged for modernisation after a review by UK bureaucrats.

Ms Smith said "dealing with change within Government has occupied almost as much of our time as working on changes in policies and programmes'' -- and said the Civil Service had its hands tied by "outdated procedures and practices''.

An unfulfilled pledge to introduce a "scissorman'' to cut through red tape and slash waste in Government may also be on the cards.

Ms Smith also singled out improving education, cutting long-term unemployment, rescuing the Island's ailing tourism industry from decline and getting in on the ground floor of hi-tech computer-based buying and selling as top priorities.

And a 14-point checklist included an emphasis on equal opportunities, better jobs for Bermudians, investor-friendly policy, and economic stability and new standards of financial discipline.

The Throne Speech may make provision for new laws for elected Parish Councils -- currently appointed -- and elected school boards to allow parents and others a bigger voice in running education.