I am tired of the finger pointing, blaming and obfuscation cluttering the discussion of critical issues impacting Bermuda's future. Before we discuss educational issues and the proposed work equity bill, can we have some truth and clarity in the room?

Let's start by agreeing on one simple fact ¿ like the rest of the Western world, Bermuda has been profoundly shaped by a legacy of slavery. A legacy that proposes people of African origin are inherently less intelligent, less talented, and less valued as human beings than people of European descent.

Can we also agree that actions pre- and post- 1834 represent superficial rather than fundamental changes in the perception of the value of the Black Bermudian?

For those who disagree, let me point you in the direction of truth. The proof lies in a recent history of segregationist policies in the post-emancipation era. It is evident in post-segregation beliefs that an education received from Warwick Academy was worth more than an education received at the Berkeley Institute in the 1970s and 1980s. I see the proof in the current belief that our private educational system offers more value than our public education system. And I see proof, in the assumption that hiring a black Bermudian for a senior executive position, more often than not, equates to hiring an unqualified person for the job.

Let's talk about education. As someone who works with graduates from both systems and has worked with agencies offering services to both systems, I feel qualified to state that the value is fairly equal. The difference lies in the ability to play with statistics. One system has the privilege of reporting only their success rate, never having to disclose the number of students that leave or their reasons for exiting the system. The other is required to report the good, the bad, and the ugly; and more often than not, the Bermudian public salivate over the ugly and dismiss the good as a fluke.

It is my firm belief that students with active family support who are encouraged to work hard, to dream, and to take responsibility for utilising all the resources available to them find academic success in both the private and public sector.

Yes, change needs to occur, but it is the conceptualisation of education in both systems that require consideration. Globally, nations are struggling with educational issues similar to those we face locally. Globally, we are all guilty of delivering old strategy to a population with radically different needs. Is this not the definition of insanity, trying the same thing and expecting a different result?

This brings me to the discussion of work equity. I hear and believe that companies, in particular international companies want to hire Bermudian talent. It simply makes good financial sense. My question then becomes, why this paralysing fear toward trying something new? If tried and true strategies are not recruiting the talent that you want, the intelligent option is to try something new. To borrow from Grace Odums, keynote speaker at the inaugural Workforce Empowerment Conference, reflecting diversity in the workforce means hiring the most talented person for the job. In my opinion, in order to trust the valid implementation of this concept, we have to assume the recruitment process is no longer driven by latent assumptions of what the most talented person looks like.

Historically, the prototype was a white male ¿ and while the landscape may have changed to some degree within some companies, the positions are often occupied by persons who have perfected affecting the persona. When do we begin to truly recruit the best person for the job regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, accent, hairstyle, etc; the list of qualifiers some of us feel the need to hide in order to fit in is far too long! If we want different results, we have to be willing to try different strategies.

Is the proposed legislation perfect ¿ my answer is no. Stakeholders deserve an authentic opportunity to give input, if there is to be authentic acceptance. But in requesting and accepting that opportunity, stakeholders also have a responsibility to be objective in their assessments, in particular when conducting the discussion in the public eye of the newspaper.

Instead of throwing out the red herring of punitive measures, ask questions that address the totality of the bill. Does the bill go far enough? Should it mirror the Cure Act by addressing companies employing ten or more? Should it specify Cure's obligations regarding the provision of training and resources? What are the pros and cons of developing equity plans and how the concept of diversity will be reflected in your company's mission statement and objectives? What tools should be available to assist in the review of current recruitment strategies, job advertisements, and the perceptions held by recruitment personnel within your companies?

Focusing on the punitive measures and misquoting the bill suggests a mindset resistant to change rather than a mindset willing to provide constructive feedback to refine the content in order to facilitate change. The work equity bill is about far more than CURE's authority to enforce fines. It's about implementing measures that ensure the equality of opportunity for qualified persons and recognising that historically, qualified black Bermudians have not been given equal and equitable access.

It does not call for the implementation of a quota system. Quotas imply forced representation regardless of qualifications and only serve to hurt the group they are trying to help. Equity is about creating opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups that have the prerequisite qualifications but have been blocked from access due to underlying issues.

The bill is asking you to look at the underlying issues within your companies and decide what you can reasonably do to address them. The people of Bermuda then need to ask themselves how they are preparing to take advantage of the opportunities currently available and those to come in the future.

Planning for the future involves understanding the big picture and how all of the pieces fit together. As such, working to implement change in our educational system and working to ensure equality of opportunity in our workforce go hand-in-hand as pieces of the larger puzzle.

Nikkita Scott is a guidance counsellor at the Bermuda College and chairwoman of the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality. The views expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the whole of Cure.