`WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB' FOR Y2K.(MAIN)

Byline: TED BRIDIS Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton said Tuesday all but a handful of the government's most important computer systems are prepared for the New Year's date change. ``We have done our job,'' he said.

In its final readiness report, the administration said only eight of the government's 6,167 most important systems are not prepared for the Y2K rollover, and those others will be ready later this month.

The government said it will have spent $8.38 billion on the massive project, a $37 million increase from September's estimate, which it attributed to higher last-minute testing costs.

``We have met the deadline, …