Government is to beef up racial discrimination laws in a bid to ensure equ ality in the work place.

Yesterday Commission for Unity and Racial Equality chairman Carlsen Philip announced the Commission's Code of Practice will become law this year.

That means companies which employ more than ten people will be required to register with the Commission and provide data on the racial demography of their staff.

And new legislation will also give CURE the legal clout to enforce certain recommendations if it feels a company is not doing enough to target certain racial groups.

When the first CURE questionnaire was compiled last year, companies were obliged -- but not legally bound -- to respond to the Commission.

Government now feels that discrimination in the workplace is too important an issue to be left to "voluntary compliance''.

Once the law is amended later this summer, it will become mandatory for all employers with ten or more staff to: Register with CURE; Collect information on the racial background of employees, to be submitted to CURE on an annual basis; Review employment practices and procedures affecting recruitment, promotion and training; Adopt special programmes if it is felt that a racial group is not participating in the company; and Adopt the Commission's Code of Practice as a working document.

The Commission will also have the authority to "obtain information, make inquiries and give directions'' in relation to the new compulsory orders.

Companies that do not comply with the code could face a hefty financial penalty -- a $25,000 fine.

Speaking at a Bermuda International Business Association breakfast yesterday, Mr. Philip said it was Government's aim to see Bermuda's workforce mirror the racial make-up of the Island.

But he insisted racial job quotas would not be forced on employers.

"It is the intention of Government to amend the CURE Act 1994 to make the code of practice legally binding,'' Mr. Philip said.

"This is not a scare tactic. When people think about changes in law they think about taking rights away.

"We're not here to take anybody's rights away, just here to enforce rights where everyone will have the opportunity to take part.

"The amendments will be introduced in time to have them take effect from February 2000 which will mark the commencement of the first formal monitoring process to ensure the effective implementation of equal opportunity practices in Bermuda.

"The Bermuda Government's ultimate goal is to see the workforce composition at all levels reflect the racial demographics in Bermuda. We are not promoting racial quotas which, under the American system, seeks to assign jobs to individuals solely on race.

"It's a two-step process. It's a question of amending the Act and then it would be mandatory.

"If there have been any breaches pursuant to the Act, CURE can do one of two things. It will be in a position to effect change by making recommendations and if they are not fulfilled, then that would be a breach of the law.'' Mr. Philip said statistics proved that certain careers were regarded as no-go areas to sections of the community.

And he urged all employers to do their utmost to target racial groups which were under-represented.

Referring to the international business community, he said: "Black males have been shut out with respect to trying to penetrate the glass ceiling.

"Statistics bear us out in this regard. We are dealing with a social circumstance which speaks for itself and we have statistics which back us up.''