The number of black people in executive and senior management jobs increased slightly in 2001, but whites still hold a disproportionate number of top jobs, a workplace survey released yesterday said.

Blacks increased their representation at the executive and senior management level by three percent, but whites still held 68 percent of executive and senior management positions, said Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs and Sports Randolph Horton as he released the 2001 Commission for Unity and Racial Equality workplace survey.

That figure contrasts with the overall racial make-up of the workplace, in which 55 percent of employees are black, 31 percent are white and all other races represent 14 percent.

And the report also revealed that there had been an increase of two percent in the number of blacks earning more than $75,000 a year. The proportion of blacks earning more than that figure rose from 18 to 20 percent of the total, he said.

"The biggest news in this survey is that there is very little, if anything new," Mr. Horton said. "... in this instance, I feel it only points out that we still have a ways to go.

"I will agree that whilst Rome was not built in a day, we perhaps cannot also expect significant changes in just one year. But any change in the right direction is nonetheless encouraging."

Mr. Horton said that movements in employment practices contained in the report for the first time suggested that employers were not following proper employment practices aimed at eliminating discrimination. These included the fact that blacks were three times more likely to be dismissed from their jobs than whites and that

at the executive management level, the interview to hiring ratio for whites was nine in ten, compared to only one in four for blacks.

"The results also highlight the importance of ensuring that our children - the future workforce of this Island - received the right education and training to enable them to attain the skills they need to compete on an equal footing in the workplace," Mr. Horton said.

CURE will begin interviewing companies later this year to see that no discrimination is taking place. He added that the 80 companies, which were randomly selected last year, will be revisited.

And should it be found necessary, Mr. Horton said, CURE will help the companies develop special programmes to either increase employment of members of a group or race, or attempt the help the company achieve equal opportunity in the workplace.

"I would encourage both employers and employees alike to read the report and to use the information to help make positive strides in the area," said Mr. Horton.

Mr. Horton noted to several key points, which included:

Blacks and whites are equally likely to receive an annual bonus - but with other benefits such as housing allowances, and perhaps because of the higher proportion of white expatriate workers in Bermuda - whites are nearly six times as likely to receive a housing allowance from their employers than blacks.

Blacks are twice as likely to receive a mortgage subsidy.

Whites hold the majority of jobs at international companies and half of all jobs in the business service sector.

Nine percent of companies employed over half of all employees in the workforce.

The public sector employed the most people

Nearly all companies employed both black and white workers but three percent employed no blacks and seven percent employed no whites.

Whites held 68 percent of all executive management jobs.

When asked if the survey had factored out those who are Bermudian and those who weren't, Mr. Horton said: "We have not done that, but obviously that has an impact on those numbers.

"We have not yet separated Bermudians and non-Bermudians. In fact the Act does not allow us to do that.

"We still have a long way to go. The Government is really concerned to see the numbers the way they are partially to seeing that in relation to promotion. It's obvious that there are practices taking place that are not in tune with the practices set out in 1997."

The report also stated that the overall number of persons interviewed as compared to the number of persons hired was 58 percent.

In the industry sectors of education, health and community services, agriculture, fishing, quarrying and hotels the number of persons interviewed as compared to the number hired was over 95 percent.

At the executive management level, the interview to hiring ratio for whites was nine in ten, compared to only one in four for blacks.

The majority of employees left work voluntarily (75 percent), however people dismissed (13 percent of employees), blacks were three times more likely to be dismissed than whites.