ERROR RG P4 17.3.2000 A story on the Senate in yesterday's newspaper should have referred to Progressive Labour Party member Reginald Burrows, not Reggie Morris.

Government Senator Calvin Smith said there would be political instability if Government was not successful in getting more Bermudians into the international business sector.

The twin objectives that had to be met were the international companies getting the best employees they needed to be competitive, and the PLP ensuring that Bermudians play a part in this.

Sen. Smith said the PLP was strongly supportive of international business and had helped attract it to the Island.

Veteran PLP member Reggie Morris was instrumental in securing the old Bermudiana Hotel site in Hamilton for reinsurance giants XL and ACE.

"For us to sell off the old Bermudiana site to a foreign company took a lot of soul-searching and the realisation that it's for the best interests of Bermuda therefore it must be done -- and the PLP will do that at any time,'' he said. " International business understood the PLP had to represent the interests of the black community who had largely been left out -- not because of the international companies, who often operated in all-black countries -- but through the "sloppiness'' of the previous UBP Government.

He told The Royal Gazette later: "I don't think it was the previous Government's policy, but given their antecedents, it didn't occur to them that black men had brains.

"That was reflected in opportunities to the black community. There's an expectation that now we're in power that will change overnight.

"It won't, but we'll change as quickly as possible and the international companies won't give us problems because they are talking to us and negotiating about how to do this.

"We want to minimise any uncertainty they have. Expectations have to be seen to be being met, but at the same time, the needs of international companies need to be met.

"I am extremely conscious of the need for all Bermudians, whatever race, colour or creed, to understand that the survival of this Island means being the best we possibly can be because we are competing against the world which couldn't care less about our needs.

"We must be the best and we must legitimately claim from all companies operating on this Island that they select the best only on ability, not what people look like.'' During the debate in Senate yesterday, he predicted success, but warned: "If we don't succeed, it's not business as usual, it's total political instability.

"We have to do this through intense negotiations with international business, and from the speeches I've heard from most of the reasonable people, they recognise it.'' Earlier, Mr. Smith said household studies showed white households had 61 percent more income than black ones. When it came to disposable income, whites were 88 percent better off.

The market was not working to solve the housing problem because families could not afford the rents.

He rejected what he called Opposition insinuations that Tourism Minister David Allen was the predominantly black PLP's sop to the Commission for Unity and Race Relations laws.

Describing Mr. Allen as the brightest and most intelligent Tourism Minister the country had ever had, he said the PLP paid attention to "excellence and ability'' rather than colour.