Government has not shelved the controversial Workforce Equity Act but is still examining the proposals, says Culture and Rehabilitation Minister Dale Butler.

He is due to meet with civil servants this week to view a presentation around the bill which will require companies to put plans in place to employ black Bermudians at all levels according to their representation in the wider workforce — which stands at 47 percent.

If companies do not make efforts to improve their demographics they run the risk of being fined up to $50,000.

The bill, which was distributed for consultation before the election, was originally aimed at companies with 40 or more employees.

But just before being sacked Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Wayne Perinchief suggested it might be extended to small companies too.

Now the bill is being handled by his successor Minister Butler but The Royal Gazette understands that Government is making free transport, promised during the election, a priority which might see the Workforce Equity Act shuffled down the agenda.

Yesterday Mr. Butler said that rumours the bill was just an election stunt were untrue and his department was still going over it.

"The Government didn't have any stunts. The Government didn't have to go out and ask stakeholders. It was never a stunt.

"The Government felt that based on the feedback it received would determine whether this was the direction to go.

"The Government has received considerable feedback and a presentation will be made to me tomorrow to determine the way forward."

Asked if there was a possibility the bill could be dropped he said: "I have no comment on that because I haven't received instructions from my Cabinet colleagues."

Mr. Butler argued there was a mis-perception that the bill was an attempt to introduce quotas.

He said: "Our interpretation was that there had to be a policy where you stated what efforts you made to broaden your base.

"If you made some efforts fine, if you didn't have a policy to broaden your base then that was where the issue would come up."

In December Government released a slew of statistics in support of the proposed Workforce Equity Act showing blacks still get a raw deal in the job market with educated blacks earning less than their white counterparts.

Figures culled from the census of seven years ago showed black Bermudians have more BA degrees than white Bermudians.

The stats were response to claims that the education system was to blame for the failure of blacks to do better in the economy. But business said the figures were selectively culled.