Former Premier Sir David Gibbons, arguably Bermuda's most successful businessman, was one of the few whites prepared to speak openly about institutionalised racism in Bermuda.

As chairman of the Bank of Butterfield, he commissioned a major report by Dr.

Carol Swain on the issue this year and as Premier of Bermuda from 1977 to 1981, he grappled with the whole question after the 1977 riots and the commissioning of the Pitt Report, which tackled racism in depth.

The Swain report, said Sir David, showed there were significant steps that can be taken to beat back institutionalised racism. And Sir David has promised it will not be allowed to gather dust.

"It is recognised that racism is wrong and has no place in Bermuda. Where one runs into problems of course is where blacks and whites are competing for the same jobs,'' he said.

"That is where there's no doubt, and there is clear evidence, that over the decades blacks have been disadvantaged in respect of promotion and appointment.'' Sir David, the chief executive officer of Gibbons Company, said the retailer had one of the first black sales forces in Bermuda, and was appointing black managers 20 years ago.

But in looking around Bermuda, Sir David observed: "I am satisfied that there is still resistance certainly on the lower and middle management level, something that can be changed by the implementation of Dr. Swain's report.

"Racism exists to a totally unacceptable extent. Until there is a total acceptance across the entire community that there is still that unacceptable level of racism that exists, there will continue to be friction between the races, which in a very small place is absolutely wrong and totally unacceptable.'' Sir David Gibbons