success by organisers.

Depending on feedback from the public, future TV debates could be on the cards following the 90-minute discussion last night on ZBM, said organiser Rolfe Commissiong.

Fellow organiser Cris-Valdes Dapena said: "It went really well but we could have done with another three hours.

"It was a great start and we did a good job in balancing the points of view, but I'm sure people had 100 percent more to say.'' Mrs. Valdes-Dapena and Mr. Commissiong were joined by businessman Charles Gosling, businesswoman Arlene Brock, retired banker Cummings Zuill, Education Officer Llewellyn Simmons, lawyer Ian Kawaley, and former Bermuda Sun editor Tom Vesey. The chairman was Roy Wright.

Mr. Vesey said black and white people were suspicious of the motives of each other.

First televised race debate hailed a success This was the result of Bermuda's divided history as the country approached nationhood, said Mr. Kawaley.

Mrs. Valdes-Dapena, Bermuda Chamber of Commerce president, said it was perhaps a good thing that this was "bubbling up'' as black people were feeling more empowered. The white community had to get out of the denial of how "plain awful' its oppression of blacks had been.

Mr. Simmons said black people had a "legitimate distrust'' of the white community borne out of maltreatment.

Mr. Gosling claimed there was a growing "double standards'' where blacks were making racist remarks and being lauded in their own community while whites would be condemned for racist remarks.

But Mr. Commissiong, a community activist, said the only group that practised racism was the white community, although blacks were capable of prejudice.

"Prejudice and discrimination are part of racism, but racism is the ability to exercise political and economic domination over another, and there is only one group that exercises that domination,'' he said.

"What might be identified as black racism has never existed but may be a reaction to racism. It doesn't mean the recipient is going to feel any better, but it is important to define what racism is.'' Mr. Gosling said it was wrong to identify one group as saints and the other sinners. "To say one group because it has been the underdog for some time is not racist is a blinkered point of view.'' Ms Brock said prejudice existed, but it was prejudice plus power which defined racism.

Mr. Simmons said all white people benefited from the "white supremacist'' system and that blacks who benefited did so `by giving up part of what they are''.

Mr. Kawaley said blacks faced a moral dilemma of advancing in an unjust system "at the expense of the majority'' and asked whether Jews who collaborated with the Nazis could be considered good role models for the Jewish community.

Mr. Vesey said there could be no equality without economic equality and this would not be achieved unless blacks moved into key economic areas.

But he asked: "(Is) the only way we can get equality is blacks saying `I'll go play the white game'. Is that the only way, or can black people go into these (key) fields and get equality that way.'' When Ms Dapena asked whether black people could only advance by "sacrificing something important in themselves'', Mr. Kawaley said: "No.'' But historically blacks had to ignore racial injustice to do business in the white world.

The recent acquisition by black entrepreneur Wendall Brown of Ward Young's BGA Group "achieved more for the black psyche than 100 pieces of legislation'' he said.

Mr. Commissiong said it was important for the PLP Government to focus on black ownership of business.

He added that Independence was a way towards eliminating racism and cited the examples of countries in the West Indies.

But Mr. Vesey said: "Judging by some of the nasty things white West Indians have said, that I've never heard in Bermuda, Independence is not the cure.'' Mr. Gosling said he was in favour of equality of opportunity, but talk of economic equality would leave "a lot of people saying `My God this is Marxist socialism at its worst'. These two things need to be separated.'' Mr. Vesey hit back: "Economic opportunity is not good enough. Economic opportunity is not working if we are not working at a reasonable clip towards economic equality.'' Spirituality, "so we are looking into each other's eyes not their pocket books'' was needed, said Mr. Simmons.

The two communities were feeling uncomfortable because they were taking on new roles now which were removing the white political and economic hegemony, said Mr. Kawaley.

He said he could not believe blacks were committing 99 percent of crime yet Westgate was 99 percent full of black men.

It was obvious young black men were being treated differently by the Police than young white men and he urged the Police and prosecution service to use their discretion when it came to prosecuting black men.

"We can't have a situation where if a young black man is doing something slightly silly he is turned into a criminal,'' said Mr. Kawaley. Mr. Gosling said individuals were unique and had to treat each other in an individual basis as the first step towards racial harmony.

As the debate drew to an end Mr. Vesey said the consequences of not building bridges between the communities was unthinkable.

"White people will be successful in marginalising themselves if we don't build bridges and become an isolated, beleaguered minority.'' DISCRIMINATION DIS