has shifted in the last 25 years. Although we still hear talk about the Forty Thieves and Front Street, it is very clear that these days the establishment no longer controls Bermuda's voters and its political power is very limited.

There is virtually no-one who can be identified with Front Street left in Parliament and the days when anything approaching a decision, except a decision to have another drink, was reached in the billiard room at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club are long over. Black Bermudians might be surprised to learn that many white Bermudians are glad of that because, while they might not have suffered from racism they certainly suffered from a great deal of institutionalised social pressure to stay in line.

What is not limited is establishment financial power. That power cannot be underestimated in terms of the stability it provides for Bermuda's economy but it seems today to have relatively little impact on the secret ballot. However it is fair to say that Bermuda's major institutions are not privately held and they are for sale every working day on the stock exchange. The banks are listed, the press is listed and the major local insurance companies are listed. The larger stores are not listed on the stock exchange but it is doubtful in these days of declining retail sales if anyone would want to buy a piece of that pie.

Bermuda has heard a good deal about racism and glass ceilings in major businesses during the course of this debate. But there are other aspects of daily life in Bermuda which should not be ignored.

We think that Bermuda should be taking a hard look at the racism, social elitism and separation perpetrated by the aspects of this community which are still labelled "Private''. Private clubs which limit entry, whether they be basically white or basically black, are divisive. That is also true, we think, of private schools. And the schools problem is soon to be greatly magnified.

We think Government's mega school will cause a rush to the private schools resulting in the rich and the talented being in private education and the poor and the less-talented being highly stigmatised by being at the mega school.

Those debating racism should be very concerned about the new school and it seems strange to us that they are sometimes the same people who thought up the mega school. It may be that while Bermuda looks at racism, it should be careful not to address one area while allowing another to develop.

It is very clear that racism needs to be kept in the forefront of Bermuda's thinking and that we must deal with it openly. However it is important to deal with racism as it exists today and not continue to divide the Country with the sins of yesterday which we cannot correct. The history of racism and segregation in Bermuda is not pretty but some of it is in the past and cannot be corrected. What we can do is learn from yesterday to create a better today.

Part of the problem is that Bermuda shied away from any discussion of racism hoping not so much to sweep it under the carpet as to help the wounds to heal undisturbed. Many white Bermudians were embarrassed by the past and hoped they could make it go away. That may well have been a mistake because we have allowed some people to constantly dwell on the wrongs of the past without keeping in mind the successes of the present. It seems fair to say we have a long way to go but it is also fair to say we have come a long way.