changes in work permit policy has raised the likelihood that limits will be placed on work permit renewals for certain categories of occupations.

This is well worth discussing and is almost certainly driven by Government's desire to ensure that qualified Bermudians are offered job opportunities and to avoid the moral obligations which come with having long term non-Bermudian residents on the Island.

Those twin motivations must be balanced against the needs of businesses to be competitive, to have access to good staff and to meet the challenges which an increasingly global economy poses.

Former Premier Sir John Swan raised some of the latter concerns in an opinion piece published in the Island's newspapers last month.

Referring to international business, he noted that "the message here is that we either accommodate them in the new order of globalisation -- or they will go elsewhere''.

"If they go elsewhere it would lead to the demise of the Bermuda we have placed so much pride in,'' he said. "It would further erode tourism and create widespread unemployment which would compound our social problems.'' He went on to say that one of the most widely discussed features of globalisation is economic integration: "Barriers to trade and investment are disappearing. Borders are becoming less relevant. Goods, services and capital flow around the world, making countries truly interdependent.

"Economic interdependence increases the incentive for countries to work together constructively. It raises the cost of arbitrary and autocratic behaviour.

"Many will see the evolving economy as a threat rather than an opportunity,'' he said. "The greatest pressures from globalisation are falling on low-wage and low-skill workers. The people most vulnerable are precisely those with the fewest tools to adapt. We must, therefore, prepare Bermudians through education and training so that they can take full advantage of this new economic order.

"We must approach the challenges of globalisation and economic integration as opportunities and not fear them as threats to our well-being. We did not start globalisation. We can't stop it -- and we'd only be wasting our time if we tried. Globalisation shapes virtually every country's domestic policies and international relations.'' Sir John said, rightly, that Bermuda can only take advantage of the opportunities of a global economy if Government is prepared to address the opportunities which accompany the massive changes which are looming.

That means putting an emphasis on education and training, laying the foundations for economic growth and job creation, improving health and protecting those who cannot help themselves.

Sir John's most important point was that globalisation and the changes being wrought by the Internet and e-commerce cannot be stopped.

This means that Bermuda must take great care not to become more protectionist than it already is, either in business, with regard to the movement of labour or in terms of putting the emphasis on job protection rather than job creation.

The new draft proposals on work permit policy are worth discussing, but it should always be recalled that the global economy is changing quickly and inflexibility could cost the Island dearly.