newly-created Cabinet portfolio pledged yesterday.

The Hon. Jerome Dill, who was sworn in as Minister of Human Affairs and Information, said he wanted to change "not just attitudes, but also behaviour.

"The really difficult thing is how do you do it without using a sledgehammer -- that's going to be the challenge,'' Mr. Dill told The Royal Gazette .

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan said Mr. Dill's Ministry would handle race relations, human rights, the war against drugs, and strengthening parish councils, as well as Government Information Services.

Mr. Dill's appointment marks the first time a Cabinet Minister has specifically been charged with dealing with racism in Bermuda.

Sir John said Government was responding to a message from voters. "What people are basically saying is that there is only so much you can do with the economy, but there are other areas where we feel you can be more focused.

Implementation of the National Drug Strategy was removed from Health and Social Services because of its importance and the numerous key issues already handled by that Ministry, he said.

Mr. Dill, a 33-year-old former Senator elected in Pembroke West Central, is to enter the House of Assembly for the first time on November 5. But Sir John said he was not worried about inexperience.

A partner at Appleby, Spurling and Kempe, Mr. Dill was a lawyer who served on the Human Rights Commission and was involved in the dialogue on drug and race issues. He would have the support of Government behind him, Sir John said.

"It is a monumentally challenging undertaking, quite frankly,'' Mr. Dill said. While components in the new portfolio were diverse, "I think that obviously the common thread running through the whole thing is this issue of humanity and interpersonal relationships.'' He said it was too early to talk about specifics, but said: "There is no question in my mind that institutionalised racism is going to have a much higher priority under this Government than under any previous Government.'' Government had done well in removing employment barriers in the public service, "but when you look at private organisations ... the development in the civil service has not been mirrored,'' in many cases.

"Where people sometimes aren't conscious there's a problem, we're going to have to raise consciousness,'' Mr. Dill said. "We're going to have to start measuring instances of racism.'' Asked whether he foresaw legislation that would cover the private sector, Mr.

Dill said his philosophy was "not to use a sledgehammer'' where guidelines or "the powers of persuasion'' would work.

The Human Rights Commission would be "dramatically changed'' by the addition of a race relations division, he said.

And there could be some overlap between racism and drug abuse, he said.

"There is no suggestion that people of one race are more prone to use and abuse drugs.'' But, "people who have been economically deprived or disadvantaged or discriminated against on a racial basis could well be in a higher risk group as far as drug abuse is concerned. "We'll have to investigate that.'' HANDS-ON TEAM -- New Government MPs and Senators show their unity after being sworn in at Government House yesterday. Pictured (from left to right) are Sen.

Lawrence Scott, Sen. Yvette Swan, Community and Cultural Affairs Minister the Hon. Wayne Furbert, Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess, Sen. Grant Gibbons and Minister of Human Affairs and Information the Hon. Jerome Dill.