The Big Conversation is to break into several smaller chats as Government continues its bid to heal the racial divide.

And a new board has been set up to manage the project which this year will include a website, radio and TV shows and inter-racial lunches.

Premier Ewart Brown announced yesterday that a group comprising PLP MP Zane DeSilva, lawyer Wendell Hollis, hotelier Mike Winfield, Premier's Chief of Staff Jamahl Simmons, Hamilton West PLP chairman Melvin Alick, former UBP chairman Gwyneth Rawlins and property developer Myron Piper would steer the initiative.

He also announced an organizing committee of Suzanne Mayall, Denny Richardson, Margaret Downing-Dill and Yvonne Smith. Government is spending $365,000 on the Bermuda Race Relations Initiatives (BRRI) this year.

Dr. Brown said he had recognised when the Big Conversation was set up last year that it would be "potentially problematic" for Government to have direct control.

"However, in the absence of any other group or entity with the willingness and resources to commit to this necessary and critical project, Government was of the view that it had to lead its adoption and implementation.

"Moreover, its introduction occurred during an election season which only heightened the strains and pressures which were exerted upon it. Nonetheless, the dialogues continued and succeeded despite the odds and the critics."

This year Government is offering funds, along with the private sector, but is asking some of those previously involved to manage the process including two 'white only' and 'black only' forums to complement talks between the races, to be moderated by Bermudians.

Asked why the races would be separated for some meetings Dr. Brown said that approach had proved extremely useful and new approaches were needed to alleviate a problem that had been around for decades.

He said: "Dr. King has been dead for 30 years but we have not made the headway that should have been made in the world so we cannot be bound by the traditional criteria as to how we approach it."

Dr. Brown said the race issue had festered for far too long but in tackling the issue "we run the risk of making some people uncomfortable in the process.

"It is our intention that the Big Conversation dialogues should become a grass roots phenomenon and that Bermudians feel empowered in the process."

The BRRI has endorsed a series of monthly lunches and meetings sponsored by the law firm of Cox Hallet Wilkinson designed to allow black and white Bermudian business people to talk over race and opportunity.

Wendell Hollis, of the Advisory Group, said: "Bermuda can no longer ignore the fact that we still have a long way to go in ensuring that the scars of the past are healed, in such a way, that genuine and sustainable racial reconciliation can occur in our island home.

"For we truly believe that no country can long endure when its people are divided."

He said there was a greater willingness now, than ever before on the part of many Bermudians to engage on this issue, partly because of the BRRI efforts.

BRRI panel discussions will also continue with the first of this year occurring on Friday at the Bermuda College while the BRRI is sponsoring Dr. Eva Hodgson and the National Association of Reconciliation's half-hour radio lectures on 1340 AM on racism and privilege. The lectures began last month and will air on the first and third week of each month at 12.15 p.m.

BRRI initiatives for 2008 include:

¦ a full length feature documentary to premiere in November.

¦ a half hour interview show on CITV called "The Big Conversation" which had its debut in February and will air new programs twice each month.

¦ the establishment of the BRRI website