own individuality.

That is the view of racial awareness specialist Ms Pamela Brown who says that youngsters have the wrong peers in pop stars like Shabba Ranks, Bob Marley and many American rap artists.

Ms Brown says that many of the violent messages that these artists deliver are not healthy for youngsters.

Instead she is calling for new role models to be found in Bermuda to help children in the future to grow up with more of their own identity.

Ms Brown is midway through her third visit to Bermuda in just over a year. She has been involved in setting up workshops to discuss racism and the Judge Tumin Report into the Criminal Justice System with a number of organisations.

She said: "Judge Tumin said that young people in Bermuda have a lack of self individuality. They become Americans when they turn on the television, their education is British and they are not sure what they are at home.

"Having an identity is crucial for all of us. We need to look up to people and have our heroes whether it be someone playing an instrument or someone who is good at cricket.

"Role models for young people in Bermuda are people like Shabba Ranks, Bob Marley and the rappers who profess violence. They are all outside of Bermuda.

"It is time that Bermudian role models were provided for young people in Bermuda.'' Speaking to a meeting of the Hamilton Lions Club, Ms Brown said that she has had limited success in convincing individuals that racism exists in Bermuda.

But she said: "When I go to organisations like businesses and schools I come across institutionalised racism but people are unwilling to open up.

"People come along to my workshops with some apprehension and quite a lot of hesitancy in opening up about it.'' Ms Brown said that it is no good people comparing Bermuda to other places, saying that it is favourable to Harlem, Brixton and the Los Angeles riots.

She said comparisons lead to complacency which is no good for the country. She said: "It is no good just saying that we have much better race relations system than other countries.

"If the issue in Bermuda is going to be tackled then we need the voluntary, statutory, community and business groups to work together.

"When I first came to Bermuda discussing racism was about as popular as discussing the introduction of a tax system. Things have improved since then.'' Ms Brown was born in Kenya, of Indian parents and lives in London.