televised "Dialogue in Black and White'', which brought together people from the white and black communities to talk about race relations.

A wide variety of views, some contradictory, were expressed in the debate, demonstrating how far apart the community remains on race.

Some white Bermudians will be surprised to find that some black Bermudians see them -- regardless of their personal views or behaviour -- as part of a white supremacist system.

Equally, some black Bermudians will be surprised to see that some whites do not understand the degree to which race and discrimination have affected their lives.

The dialogue demonstrated that there is a wide gulf in perceptions and experiences between the communities.

And there are fundamental questions which have not been answered -- and may never be. For example, does Bermuda wants a colour-blind society or a society which celebrates its diversity and differences? But the dialogue also showed that people from different walks of life can sit down and discuss an issue as emotive and difficult as race in a rational and open way.

That is important, because it is only through debate and discussion that the racial divide can be bridged.

As difficult and challenging as the Bermudian struggle for civil and human rights was in the 1950s and 1960s, it was in many ways the easy part of the fight.

Few would disagree today that segregation and having a vote based on property was wrong.

Today, the issues are greyer, and thus more challenging. Are the CURE Regulations the answer to breaking the dominance of white males in senior positions in business, or is it an unacceptable invasion by Government on private enterprise's right to promote the best people to the best job? These are not easy questions. But talking about them in an open and constructive way is the only way they can be answered.

CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHT EDT Christmas highlight In three short years, the Christmas Boat Parade has firmly established itself on the Bermuda calendar.

Indeed, the parade has burst onto the Island's consciousness to the point that roads have to be closed, parked cars moved, normally exclusive clubs open their doors and Christmas parties have to be rescheduled to accommodate the event.

That gives great credit to the organisers of the parade, who encountered some opposition and cynicism when it was first launched.

But its success and popularity have now surely overcome all of those objections to the extent that the problem now is not whether the event will survive but how to manage the crowds who flock to all sides of Hamilton Harbour to see the lights!