racism.

Newly appointed Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill made the pledge yesterday.

He said he would set aside every Wednesday afternoon until February 1994 to hear people's views.

"I'd obviously like to hear from all parts of the community. I don't want to hear one side of the story.

"I want to hear from people who haven't spoken up before, even if they think I might find what they have to say controversial.'' People should get in touch with him through the Department of Information Services by ringing 292-6384.

Mr. Dill said he would also hold public forums on race between November and February.

"Once this process of public consultation has been completed, I will evaluate the data, and decide how the race relations division will proceed.'' Mr. Dill said this division within his Ministry would be up and running next summer.

His comments came yesterday during the weekly luncheon of the Hamilton Lions Club.

Mr. Dill, also responsible for tackling the drugs problem, said he hoped Government's race initiative would be non-political.

"I feel that my work has less to do with politics than it has with community leadership, and I want to make sure I am going to be representing every point of view in this job, not just the view of my own political party.'' He added: "Although I have a free hand in how I set this new Ministry of Human Affairs up, I believe their independence from Government is correct, and I have no intention of trying to run their affairs for them.

"No, far from it. My role as far as I am concerned will be more coordinator and facilitator than controller.

"I see myself as being a facilitator for them in Government, whose job is simply to make it easier for them to do their job.

"If there is someone who does not understand the significance of their work, then I see myself as the man to change his or her mind.'' Mr. Dill told the gathering at Hamilton's Princess Hotel he was not sure everybody was convinced about the size of the race problem.

Some thought that segregation was gone, and hard work would allow anyone to make it these days.

But, said Mr. Dill, such thinkers were probably tough enough to succeed whatever the odds.

"Toughness is not something we are born with, it is learned. Most people in any society, anywhere in the world, simply never learn to be tough enough to face life on their own.

"They need the help of the rest of the community from time to time. The tragedy in our community is that young people have to begin to make choices long before have any experience of life, and those choices, if they are made badly, or for the wrong reasons, can severely limit their opportunities.'' "Let me put it a little more strongly, but none the less accurately. Young people who make the wrong choices in this small community early in their lives can ruin their lives.'' Mr. Dill said many people accepted young blacks believed they had fewer opportunities.

Whether this belief was true was irrelevant.

"If they believe it, and they act on that belief, then it may as well be true.'' Mr. Dill said the disproportionate number of young blacks in prison also needed to be addressed.

This may say something about the legal system -- but that was only part-explanation, he added.