The Commission for Unity and Racial Equality have discussed the alleged lack of job promotions for black Bermudians at the Bank of Butterfield.

And they have invited top managers from the bank to a breakfast seminar on Wednesday.

Harry Goodman, chief executive officer for the Fair Employment Commission of Belfast, Northern Ireland, will be the guest speaker.

The FEC will also meet with members of the Human Rights Commission and conduct training workshops for CURE facilitators.

Ken Spurling, chairman of the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality, said that commissioners discussed the issue of a perceived lack of advancement for blacks at the Bank of Butterfield at their meeting last Wednesday.

"I put the issue on the agenda and we discussed it,'' Mr. Spurling said.

"Everyone was quite keen to discuss it. One commissioner felt that it was time for Bermudians to be updated because there still seems to be a lack of equal opportunity in some sectors on the Island.'' Meanwhile, Mr. Spurling said that CURE was of the view that the comments contained in an article entitled "The Tugwell Legacy'' which ran in the Winter 1998 issue of The Bottom Line, were particularly valid.

He explained: "As an outsider, Mr. Tugwell was quite objective, although many of us know that these problems exist and have existed for a long time.'' Nonetheless, Mr. Spurling said that CURE was already addressing the issue.

More than 500 copies of the Code of Practice have been sent to all companies and institutions.

"The Code of Practice is not really anything that would cause anyone any real concern, because it is really just common sense as it relates to human relations and equal opportunity.

"Now we are following up with that and we are going into a number of institutions conducting workshops.'' Mr. Spurling said that the FEC team were coming to Bermuda to make CURE members familiar with the work they are doing in Northern Ireland.

And during their stay, CURE will be hosting a series of breakfast meetings and lectures with the FEC members so that they can share their experiences.

"CURE does not believe that any of our major institutions have deliberate policies which preclude equal opportunity,'' Mr. Spurling continued.

"Yet in practice there are behaviours and attitudes which afford white people an opportunity ahead of black people.''