Young people should look back to the future, two Bermudian students told the Progressive Labour Party's annual founders day lunch at the weekend.

And they urged their contemporaries to become involved in politics to help shape the direction of the Island.

Amne Foggo said the PLP founders had triumphed against the odds to create a party and win seats in Parliament -- and that today's PLP had carried on where they left off and won power.

But she added: "Despite our success, the flame still needs others to keep it aglow. This means we the youth should prepare -- we are the people who will be affected and are affected by decisions which are made now.

"We need to start creating ideas for those decisions now -- it's now we must prepare.'' Ms Foggo added that did not mean every youngster had to consider a career as an MP.

She said: "It simply means I will support the party the best way I can.'' She was speaking at the Hamilton Princess lunch to honour the "founding fathers'' -- this year with the theme of "carry the torch into the Millennium''.

Ms Foggo said: "Preparing is not enough alone -- preparation is only half the battle. I need a match to be effective -- I need to be dedicated to be effective.'' She added: "This process of carrying the torch may be a difficult one -- and so we may struggle when carrying the torch, but those with matches, those ready to keep the flame strong, will meet with success.'' And she said: "We need to take an active part in decisions taken now which will impact on us.

"We have a responsibility to equip ourselves with the skills and knowledge which will help up lead productive lives in the future.'' And she said young people should take a careful look at Bermuda's main industry of international business -- and take steps to prepare themselves for "leadership positions.'' Neitra Dill, also a student, said it was "up to young Bermudians to enlighten others about our history''.

And she paid tribute to Dr. Roosevelt Brown, who led the campaign for universal suffrage decades ago.

But she added that some young Bermudians did not appreciate the struggles of their forefathers.

And Ms Dill said: "They do not recognise the privilege we Bermudians have -- many do not realise the struggles their parents, their ancestors, put into getting the right to vote.'' Premier Jennifer Smith told the gathering that it was sometimes easy to concentrate on the young Bermudians who had lost their way and to overlook the many young Bermudians who stuck to the straight and narrow. She said: "These are the converse side of the looking glass, but there are many like them -- the message coming from them today `carry the torch into the new Millennium' has meaning for all of us now, no matter what our age.''