ROPOSALS for tackling the social problems of young black males are expected to go before Cabinet shortly.

Last year Government commissioned a study ? compiled by sociologist Professor Roy Wright ? on the status of Bermuda?s young black males following a recommendation from the Committee on Young Black Men.

Yesterday, Assistant Cabinet Secretary Warren Jones confirmed that the completed report was with the Central Policy Unit and that proposals were now being developed.

?The report was presented and we have now moved to take on board things out of that,? Mr. Jones said.

?Cabinet has reviewed the report and has formed the basis of work which the Central Policy Unit is working on right now. We have been out in the community holding focus groups.

?The CPU has held meetings at the Co-ed facility, Westgate and the Bermuda Football Association. We?re also scheduled to meet with schools and hold discussions with the Chamber of Commerce.?

Mr. Jones refused to comment on the report?s contents or the nature of any proposals, although it is expected that the report will be made public eventually.

And while he could not give a specific timeline for action, Mr. Jones did say that Cabinet wanted to move quickly on the matter.

?Some things need to be acted on quickly and we?re now developing proposals so that we can address this important area,? he said.

When the report was commissioned last May, Premier Alex Scott gave ?a startling statistic? demonstrating why the issue needed to be addressed.

?The 2000 Census revealed that 94 per cent of prisoners were male and 92 per cent were black,? the Premier said.

Yesterday Committee on Black Men member Rolfe Commissiong said he welcomed the report, but declined to discuss in detail its contents.

?I am very hopeful that we are now near the end of the process and it?s understandable members of the public are waiting avidly to be able to read the contents of this report,? he said.

?I think there are going to be a number of people who will feel that the report confirms what they have been saying for a long time. Others who may appear to be divorced from the issue will, I?m sure, find some surprises about the state and status of young black men in Bermuda.

?I don?t want to pre-empt Government but it?s certainly no surprise that the report will show that the condition of our young black males mirrors that of African descendent populations throughout the world.

?My core rational in calling for this study to be done is the fact that a country with such limited human resources cannot afford to have the input, talents and resources of this important group not being used to the fullest.

?It?s not only beneficial for them, it?s beneficial for the whole country.

?I also think it was very important to take the route of having this report because it?s from the report that we can get information and data from which we can begin the process of devising critical strategies to tackle the problem.?