A solution to tension between Bermudians and expatriate-run businesses could lie in the hands of ordinary people -- not politicians, a professional mediator said yesterday.

Arlene Brock, who was drafted to referee a round table talk between Government Ministers and top Island business people, added she had taken part in a virtual version of peace talks in trouble-torn Northern Ireland in 1996.

She said: "I was surprised at how readily people talked about enemies. I found that really quite intriguing.

"I said if South Africa can work through their issues the way they did, anybody should be able to.'' Ms Brock added that she recommended "affinity groups'' in Northern Ireland -- people doing the same jobs, like teachers and doctors, drawn from both sides of the divide.

And she said: "That's where the solutions come from, not political people or the prisoners.'' Ms Brock was speaking on the eve of a VSB rerun of a round table discussion which was first shown on ZBM a few weeks ago.

She added that as many as two more television think tanks were set to run before the end of the summer.

Ms Brock said: "I have been overwhelmed and privileged to receive so much positive feedback from blacks and whites, expatriates and Bermudians, all along the political spectrum.

"People have expressed great relief that such important issues can be addressed by decision makers with dialogue rather than debate.

"Remember that with debate, we score points and make each other enemies. With dialogue, we listen, we learn, we tackle our problems.'' The TV show -- on at 8 p.m. tonight on VSB 11 -- was set up in the wake of growing concern in the business community over Government's tougher approach to immigration and work permit policies.

Development and Opportunity Minister Terry Lister, who took part in the show along with Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox, sparked a storm of protest in the business community after he announced new rules on race reporting in the workplace for employers, employees and job applicants.

Ms Cox's plans to introduce six-year limits on most work permits to eliminate the long-term resident problem and offer more opportunities to home grown candidates led to predictions that international businesses would find it hard to attract top notch employees.

Ms Brock -- an expert in a Harvard Law School developed problem-solving programme -- worked in Massachusetts-based Conflict Management Inc. for five years before returning to Bermuda.

She said all the panellists on the programme -- including Premier Jennifer Smith and other Government Ministers and top business people like American International president Joseph Johnson and Bank of Bermuda president Henry Smith -- went through briefing and instruction before the show went on air.

She added: "There will be at least two round tables at this time and I'm told a potential third round table after the end of the summer.'' Ms Brock added that the Harvard system was designed to help people learn to "listen to each other a bit better''.

And she said: "I think in Bermuda we try to put each other on the defensive a bit.'' Ms Brock added it was hoped to get the participants for the next discussion together within the next two weeks.

She said: "Again, they will go through the dialogue process. They will be addressing some basic issues, stereotypes and perceptions of the problems.

They're encouraged not to attack or defend, but to listen.'' But Ms Brock admitted that the discussion process did not guarantee solutions to Bermuda's divide.

She said: "I think the idea is not that we agree, necessarily, but that we can begin to listen and understand each others' perspectives.

"When you apply active listening, people realise that they are not so far apart after all. We're all humans. we all want to do better and we all care for Bermuda.''