out in a round table TV discussion.

And Development and Opportunity Minister Terry Lister said he was prepared to listen to companies' concerns.

Mr. Lister added: "I'm offering the opportunity to talk, to listen and to do something together.'' And he said a bid to introduce new Commission for Unity and Racial Equality race reporting regulations in the workplace could kill off rumours of unfair treatment.

Mr. Lister added: "Bermuda has suffered greatly over the years from myth...it's vital to us that we measure, that we have statistical analysis.'' And he predicted: "The results of CURE will show many companies in Bermuda are great places to work.'' He added that Government could not release statistics gathered from individual companies -- but that the firms themselves could.

He said: "They can therefore draw people in. If you look at it positively, this can be part of a company's marketing tools and they can go out and get the best Bermudians.'' Mr. Lister was speaking on a TV special bringing together business leaders and Government Ministers, including Premier Jennifer Smith.

The programme was held in the wake of Senate's rejection of the CURE regulations passed by the House of Assembly amid a row over the rules, as well as the proposed introduction of new time limits on work permits of six years for most overseas workers.

And it followed a decision by STW Fixed Income Management boss William Williams to pull out of Bermuda -- citing the CURE regulations and increasing restrictions on hiring top talent from overseas.

Ms Smith, however, insisted the TV show had been proposed before the controversy over the new rules erupted.

Business concerns about the CURE regulations aired included the need for flexibility and worries over the extra bureaucracy -- but the panelists conceded three year extensions for key workers was an important concession.

The "burden'' of the extra paperwork, as well as the possibility of staff being "uncomfortable'' about revealing their salaries in CURE questionnaires were also raised.

XL Insurance president Brian O'Hara, however, said: "There are many in the business community, and I am one of them, who see the reasonableness of CURE...and welcome what developments are being made in terms of racial equality and fairness in the workplace.'' And he said education and training -- which international business was committed to -- were "the real problems underpinning the CURE regulations.'' TV roundtable But Bank of Bermuda president Henry Smith added: "There are a lot of people on this Island expecting change too quickly -- there are a lot of people who don't want change at all.'' And he said: "Harmony to me isn't about everybody being happy, it's probably about everybody being a little unhappy for the common good.'' Ms Smith explained that Government had a "moral responsibility'' to long-term residents, which it was intended to discharge.

But she added that the people of Bermuda were also owed a duty to ensure that the same problem of 20 year-plus residents did not keep recurring -- which meant time limits on permits.