Chamber of Commerce vowed from its temporary new offices yesterday to make the Island "a better and safer place.'' "The risk that a similar tragedy could happen again is great,'' executive vice-president Ms Carolyn Mello said of the January 4 stabbing of Chamber of Commerce receptionist Mrs. Rochelle Marcia West.

"As the leading business organisation on this Island, we have an important role to play -- we need to take steps to ensure staff have access to counselling and that the necessary legislative changes are made that will help make our workplaces safer for everyone.

"In the weeks and months ahead, we will be developing plans to ensure that business takes a lead in responding to this crisis in violent crime.'' Although Ms Mello told a Press conference yesterday that the Chamber was still in the process of developing specific anti-crime proposals, she did say that a business could do a lot to curtail workplace violence by supporting the Employee Assistance Programme of Bermuda.

EAP staff, which advises businesses on a wide range of workplace issues, has been providing trauma counselling to the co-workers of Mrs. West since the day of her murder.

Mrs. West, 30, was stabbed in full view of some Chamber of Commerce employees.

Her husband, 26-year-old Rudolph West of St. George's, has been charged with the murder.

"Thanks to the counsellors at the EAP of Bermuda, we are learning to live with our loss, and we are coming out of the experience strengthened,'' Ms Mello said yesterday.

"We have had a tremendous amount of help from the EAP.'' Meanwhile, Chamber president Mr. Robert Rego told reporters that the Chamber would not be returning to its Albuoy's Point offices, the site of Mrs. West's murder.

He said the Chamber would move temporarily to the offices of Corange Ltd, in Washington Mall.