Ms Webb said Government should outlaw racism or face the prospect of violence from black youths.

She made her comments after Human Affairs and Information Minister the Hon.

Jerome Dill detailed the nearly $2.9 million in spending targeted for his Ministry, which combines the longstanding Information Services department with the newly-created Department of Human Affairs.

The new department, which was responsible for race relations, human rights, the National Drug Commission and the parish councils, was established in December "in response to the wishes and desires of the people of Bermuda,'' Mr. Dill said.

Responding to criticism of the fact only $30,000 had been budgeted for race relations, Mr. Dill said he agreed that would not be enough, but the figure was misleading.

In fact, $180,000 of the $494,000 budgeted for administration would be used solely to fight racism, the remainder being grants to parish councils.

And the entire $210,000 should be looked at as "interim funding,'' because the race relations division recommended in the Tumim Report "has not yet been designed''.

"There is every indication that additional funds will be required, and if required will be forthcoming, because we are dealing with a new Ministry, breaking in lots of ways new ground.'' Ms Webb said the entire Ministry received only 0.7 percent of Government spending, "indicating exactly...what Government thinks about eliminating drugs and race from our society.'' The Opposition was "shocked'' at the $30,000 figure, and "quite frankly, even at $210,000 we find this figure far too low'', she said. "I find this scandalous.'' Some said when Mr. Dill was handed the new Ministry that he was being set up to fail, but the Progressive Labour Party wanted to wait and see, she said.

Now, "I don't see how the Minister can succeed, with this measly budget that he has been given''.

The public was tired of talk, like the public forums and meetings in Mr.

Dill's office which had been offered so far, she said.

"People are crying out for an equitable system,'' she said. "You put the legislation in place to change the system, and then behaviour will be modified accordingly.'' Pointing to recent youth publications like The Nationalist and Spear of the Nation, Ms Webb said many young blacks felt integration was tried but had failed, because whites would not integrate black institutions.

Now they were talking about separation, she said.

Making racial discrimination an offence under the law was "a solution before something dramatic happens'', she said.

Young people were saying if Government did not act, they would "take it in their own hands''.

"I would hate to see another riot in this country, and based on race.'' Ms Webb said the new human affairs division should be able to initiate investigations.

Saying she chose the example she did only because it was a large employer, Ms Webb said: "As an employee, how am I going to take on the Bank of Bermuda?'' And in the event of a complaint, "the onus should be on the bank to prove that they are not discriminating and that they have systems in place to end discrimination.'' There should also be "ethnic monitoring'' of companies' hiring practices, the introduction of fair lending practices and investigations of racism in the print media.

"It is very important that The Royal Gazette projects a much more positive image towards the races, in particular the black race,'' she said.

Government Whip Mr. John Barritt said the suggestion that employers be required to disprove allegations of racism sounded like "switching the burden of proof in this Country, and saying you're guilty until you're proven innocent.'' He said the amount of money devoted to a Ministry was only one indication of the importance attached to it. "It's not how much money you spend, it's how you apply the money you do spend,'' he said.

Legislation and a Code of Conduct were likely, he said.

Mr. Barritt called for the Human Rights Commission to be elevated to something closer to a court of law, so that allegations of racism were dealt with in public and did not appear to be "swept under the carpet''.

Mr. Dill had opened his remarks by talking about the Information Services department, noting all 16 employees were Bermudian.

The public affairs section issued nearly 500 news releases last year, wrote speeches, set up news conferences and produced brochures.

Photographic services provided all photographs for Tourism promotion and had won many awards.

Moving to Human Affairs, Mr. Dill said a decision would have to be made at the end of February whether to make race relations a division of the Human Rights Commission or a separate body. That would affect how much money was needed, he said.

The Human Rights Commission, which had a budget of $183,000, last year conducted workshops, produced and sponsored its second annual awards ceremony, assisted the National Association for Reconciilation with its banquet, organised a poster contest for schools, helped Amnesty International organise the ecumenical service at Victoria Park, and helped organise three public forums on race relations.

Until recently, talk about race relations in Bermuda had been "primarily among black people'', Mr. Dill said. For the first time, the forums drew "equal numbers of black people and white -- a monumentally significant achievement.'' The commission's objectives for the coming year included a Hands Across Bermuda project, which would get blacks and whites together to hold hands around the City of Hamilton.

"Ideally, you would have a black person to hold hands with a white person and they would resolve to meet on a social basis on at least two other occasions.'' "Never touch a white person,'' interjected Deputy Opposition Leader Mr.

Walter Roberts .

March 21, the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa, would be recognised as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, as declared by the United Nations.

Mr. Dill then addressed the National Drugs Commission, noting it was intended to be mainly an umbrella organisation and facilitator.

This year, the Commission wanted to start implementing a plan for the provision of comprehensive treatment services for addicts and alcoholics, he said.

It would continue to support youth programmes like Youth to Youth, collect data on the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and review the work of NADA on alcohol supply and distribution.

Some said the Drug Commission's budget of just over $1 million was not enough, but that was only "half the picture,'' he said.

In fact, just over $1 million was budgeted for the Commission last year, and only $700,000 had been spent to date.

The Commission recently entered an agreement with Council Partners. Jointly, they planned to raise at least $5 million privately, he said.

Ms Webb also praised Information Services as a fine example of what a Government department should be.

She applauded the establishment of the National Drug Commission. Drugs were "Bermuda's most pervasive problem in the '90s,'' she said.

The Commission received just over $1 million, the same as last year, despite a United Bermuda Party Blueprint promise that it would get more, she said.

"At a time when more and more people are succumbing to drugs, when violent crimes are on the increase as a result of drugs, this is far from the time to have cutbacks in the budget against drugs and the fight against drugs,'' Ms Webb said.

Four murders in two months was "a very frightening thought,'' and Police had said the rise in violence and drug use was linked.

"We could have more murders in a couple of months and people will be frightened to come to Bermuda,'' she said. "I hope that we don't have to wait until that time before we take note of the signs of the times.'' The budget for the NDC was too small, and though Mr. Dill said more would be raised privately, the NDC should not have to wait for uncertain private funds, she said.

Why was Addiction Services still under the Ministry of Health and Social Services, instead of under the NDC, as recommended in the Archibald Report, she asked.

Dr. Ewart Brown (PLP) said the budget showed that "futility continues'' in Government's racism fight.

If Mr. Dill considered it a major achievement to bring equal numbers of blacks and whites to a forum on racism, then "Government's effort is superficial, cosmetic, and futile'', Dr. Brown said.

Ministry of Human Affairs and Information Ministry responsibility: "To promote effective communication between the Government and the people of Bermuda.'' Budget estimate $2,874,000 (last year $988,000).

Budget allocation: Information services.$1,129,000 Human affairs .$1,746,000 The Hon. Jerome Dill Ms Renee Webb.