A fresh bid to stamp out racism was launched by a Government Minister yesterday. Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill, unveiled the new Commission for Unity and Racial Equality (CURE) at the Cabinet Office.

The 12-strong task force will tackle race-related problems to try to end prejudice and discrimination and promote racial and ethnic harmony.

CURE chairman Mr. Michael Mello QC said the Commission would be getting down to business as soon as the appointments take effect on Friday.

He added: "It's going to be a lot of hard work. We all know that and we're committed to it and the betterment of the community.'' The Commission -- set up in the wake of Mr. Dill's White Paper on eliminating racism presented to Parliament last year -- aims to fight for equality for all Bermudians.

CURE will also promote good relations between the different ethnic groupings on the Island and has a brief to beat institutional racism.

Mr. Mello said: "I don't personally perceive racism as a major problem, but I think it's there and it needs to be addressed.

"We want to prevent racism becoming a major problem -- there have been reports in the Press saying if we don't address the racial problems we have now, they will become major problems and lead to violence and other such things we want to avoid.'' Mr. Mello said the Commission's plan was to educate Bermudians out of racism, working everywhere from schools to the workplace and community groups.

"The major objective of the Commission is to produce a Code of Conduct and this, once accepted by both Houses of Parliament, will become the standard for relations between employers and employees,'' he said.

He added the new Code of Conduct will also be used by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) when it investigates complaints involving allegations of racism.

The Code will not provide for criminal offences, but the CHR will use it to determine its findings. And the CHR can impose hefty fines on offenders.

Mr. Dill said: "Race relations is certainly something we need to focus on.

For a long time, we have simply ignored the issue and deluded ourselves into thinking there wasn't a problem.

"Even a minor difficulty on the race relations front is something we ought to be concerned about and our problems are more severe than minor.'' But Mr. Dill stressed: "We don't have to go out there and beat people over the head. That isn't necessary.

"Sometimes all we have to do is heighten peoples' awareness and that is what we have to do.'' The other members of the Commission, who were chosen by the Government after talks with Opposition Leader Frederick Wade, include deputy chairman Karla Lacey-Minors, managing director of Look Limited and host of TV's Style Bermuda! See box for other members of board, all of whom were chosen for their background in working for the community with various groups.

CURE's members The members of the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality are: Barrister Mr.

Michael Mello (chairman), model agency owner Mrs. Karla Lacey-Minors (deputy chairman) educator Mrs. Shangri-La Durham-Thompson; pastor the Rev. Leonard Santucci; architect Mr. B.W. (Jordy) Walker; teacher Mr. Ronald Lightbourne; Mr. Ken Spurling, investment executive; barrister Ms. Keren P. Lomas; insurance executives Ms Carol Ann Bassett and Mr. John Amaral; accountant Ms Karen Hendrickson; and bank executive Mr. Oluremi Bademosi.