Business has given a cautious welcome to Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister's call for roundtable talks on managing growth and immigration.

But Opposition leader Dr. Grant Gibbons condemned government for allowing work permits to rise without any strategic thought.

Mr. Lister suggested a cap on work permits would be included in talks between government, business and other social partners set for the summer.

However, Bermuda Employers Council President Eddie Saints said a work permit limit would be a stop-gap solution.

Currently there are between 7,500 and 8,000 work permits.

Mr. Saints said: "We all agree there is a limit to what this Island can sustain in terms of people.We as a country have to decide, I agree, it's a joint decision of what we are prepared to do. I welcome a forum in the summer where we can all talk about this issue but I don't have any answers right now."

He said some of the choices might be unpalatable including high rise developments or land reclamation. "It might change the face of the country. We don't want to be like Hong Kong or do we?"

Dr. Gibbons said it was a positive approach to involve the whole community but he attacked Government for binning a study started by the United Bermuda Party in 1998 on growth.

He said: "It's almost as if they have just woken up in the last year. We need a much more coordinated approach. It's too little, too late. What Mr. Lister is really indicating is there is no planning, no strategy at all to look at sustainable economic growth.

"The United Bermuda recognised there was going to be an issue of sustainable development, particularly in international business.

"A summit is one approach but just to have a couple of meetings won't solve the problem.

"It takes careful analysis. They should have started this years ago - in the first year in government, not the last."

He said non-Bermudians in the workforce had increased under the Progressive Labour Party Government.

The UBP has suggested a new ministry of tourism and economic development to analyse where the country was going from all sides.

The ministry would look at labour, education, transport, housing and opportunities for Bermudians, said Dr. Gibbons.

"We need to have a strategic look at what kind of business will be appropriate for Bermuda."

Dr. Gibbons said Bermuda needed to diversify because it was becoming more and more dependent on international business.

Chairman of the Association of Bermuda International Companies David Ezekiel gave mild backing to Mr. Lister's comments on growth.

He said: "It's an age old problem and I can understand the frustrations but I don't think the problem has easy solutions.

"I think the idea of a summit or whatever is proposed makes sense, even if it moves us forward just a bit.

"It's difficult to see how much of a problem it is in the international business sector."

He said the international business sector consisted of about 3,300 people, one third of whom were on work permits.

Addressing Mr. Lister's call for work permits to be given to groups already represented on the Island - namely blacks, whites and Portuguese - Mr. Ezekiel said the international sector recruited in limited areas because of the specialist skills required.

But they included countries mentioned by Mr. Lister as being acceptable - the UK, Canada and America.

He said international business was mindful of the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality which required information about the racial make up of workforces.

But he said companies had to play by the rules in other countries when advertising there.

He said: "The message is clearly we need to work toward more of a balance.

"Where there's an opportunity to recruit for less specialist skills we have the opportunity to go to the islands. That's an opportunity which should be taken."

Dr. Gibbons said race should not be a factor in granting of work permits.

He said: "The minister should not be as worried about the nationality and ethnicity of them, he should be more worried about getting Bermudians in positions to take the kinds of jobs where we are looking outside to fill.

"That comes back to the education system and employment training."

He also called for help for Bermudian businesses to take on those positions.

"We will always be somewhat dependent on work permits. Really we should get the very best people regardless of race."

He was backed by Bermuda Employers Council executive director Andrea Mowbray who said: "No one should dictate who you can hire in your business or where you can hire from. The employer has the liability."

She said she knew of no country in the world which had adopted the approach Mr. Lister was calling for.

She said the Caribbean was suffering a brain drain and would not look too kindly on Bermuda, which was negotiating to join CARICOM, if Bermuda started luring its top professionals.

However she added: "I can see Mr. Lister's point on lower skilled people - mechanics and hotel workers."

But she said bottom end jobs such as cleaning jobs with long, unsociable hours were hard to fill and employers should be allowed to recruit where necessary.