FORMER Premier Sir John Swan has called on Bermudians to make a renewed attempt to bridge the island's longstanding racial divide ? warning that failure to do will allow the island's past to overshadow its present and destroy its future.

Sir John encouraged all Bermudians and Bermuda residents to combat what he called the "disease" of racial sectarianism, describing it as potentially fatal distraction from the challenges and opportunities the island faces at the dawn of the 21st century.

"Race is a debilitating disease that infects all of Bermudian life. It distracts and divides us and prevents each and every Bermudian from reaching their full potential," said Sir John.

"Blacks remember the awesome political and economic power held by 'old white' Bermuda and the economic, educational, political and social exclusion.

"This is now largely over but we are frozen in time, using so much of our time and intellect responding to our past and not spending sufficient time planning for our future together in this ever changing global environment."

Sir John, who served as Bermuda's Premier from 1982 to 1995, said in an increasingly globalised economic environment education was the key to Bermuda's future success and prosperity.

"Race is incidental to the future if equality of education and equality of opportunity are available to all Bermudians," he said.

"We are a small country with a troubled past but brilliant prospects for the future. If we let race dominate us, we shall poison our future.

"We as Bermudians, regardless of our racial origins and the many issues of the past, must move on for the sake of future generations."