Race relations, education and "the quality of Bermuda's tourism product'' dominated Senate discussion yesterday as the Upper House debated Government's recent Throne Speech during its first full session since reconvening this month.

Government Senate Leader Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte made reference to the many social problems that were addressed in the Throne Speech, citing education as a primary area of concern.

"We (in Government) want to change the relationship between teachers and students,'' said Sen. Milligan-Whyte, who is also the Minister for Women's and Legislative Affairs. "We want them (teachers) to be facilitators to learning and not just imparters of knowledge. In this age of the computer, we need teachers who can teach students how to learn -- not just impart their knowledge.'' To that end, Sen. Milligan-Whyte reiterated, the Government will be spending $100 million over the next four years to reform education, directing some of the money into teacher training and development and a significant further chunk to revamping the curriculum.

"If I can use the term, we are going back to basics,'' the Senator said, adding that both middle and secondary schools will eventually be provided with "a rigorous and relevant curriculum'' in which "core subjects'' like English, mathematics, science and the social sciences will be highlighted. In addition to education, Sen. Milligan-Whyte cited "discrimination and institutional racism'' -- particularly the belief that a "glass ceiling'' exists for blacks and women in Bermuda -- as chief concerns of the Government's.

"I would like to see and I'm going to invite business leaders to discuss the perception that a glass ceiling exists,'' she said. "Does a glass ceiling exist in Bermuda? And if it does, what can be done to eradicate it?'' As Women's Affairs Minister, Sen. Milligan-Whyte added, she intends to pass anti-stalking and sexual harassment laws and is planning to form a task force "to review and assess the status of women'' on the Island.

She also noted that Human Affairs Minister Jerome Dill has already seen to the creation of the discrimination-fighting Commission for Unity and Racial Equality as well as tabled a bill to outlaw harassment that is based on race.

In terms of tourism, Sen. Milligan-Whyte said that the Island will have "to come to terms with the quality of product that Bermuda is selling internationally''.

"It was encouraging to see,'' she said in reference to a recent US magazine poll, "that our Island is still a top destination and some of our hotels are still considered world-class. But that is not enough. We have to upgrade our hotels. We have to train our people to love providing service. There is nothing degrading about providing service. If some people keep coming back to Bermuda, that means we are doing something right. And that is something we should be proud of.'' Opposition Senate Leader Sen. Milton Scott agreed with Sen. Milligan-Whyte that tourism had to be improved, but he felt that Government's proposals hadn't been specific enough in the Speech from the Throne, which he called one of the shortest in the 13 years that he's observed politics.

"If this was our (the Progressive Labour Party's) Throne Speech,'' he said, "what you would see are some clearly outlined plans on how to deal with the issues associated with tourism.'' On a similar note, Sen. Scott said: "it amazes me that we would have to spend $100 million to restructure our education system, but that is the price you have to pay after 30 years of neglect. Most people would agree that education has been neglected for a significant period of time.'' Further on education, "there is a need,'' the senator told the assembly, "to reverse Government's policy on the Dellwood and Northlands schools''. And on crime and drugs -- two key focuses of the Throne Speech -- he added: "While we have been debating Independence over the past two years, we have seen an increase in drug use, an increase in crime and a deterioration in race relations. What we need to do now is get at the root causes of these problems.'' According to Sen. Gary Pitman (UBP), Premier David Saul has made a good first stab at getting at the root of the tourism problem by appointing Tourism Minister David Dodwell, who was described by the senator as "very experienced''.

Citing Mr. Dodwell's primary rejuvenation tools as the fostering of "tourism appreciation'' and "product and marketing reviews'', Sen. Pitman said a number of initiatives, including the targeting of first-time visitors, a new tourism advisory council and a greater "visitor industry partnership'' between Government and business, were currently in the works.

More importantly, Sen. Pitman added: "We (as Bermudians) will have to look at our attitudes when it comes to tourism, because we are no longer the friendliest people in the world. The `Good morning' syndrome -- we all laugh about it, but it's very serious. And we have to reverse the idea that our students have of service being servitude.'' Sen. Alf Oughton (Ind) concurred with Sen. Pitman that Mr. Dodwell, who he said has "hands-on'' experience, was a fine choice for Tourism.

"I challenge the cries of conflict of interest,'' Sen. Oughton said of the Minister, who owns the Reefs Hotel. "I find them totally unfounded.'' On the basic thrust of the Speech from the Throne, Sen. Oughton said that he was "very pleased to see that the main focus was on drugs, crime and the general decline in community standards''.

But he added that Bermudians would have to be more supportive of the Police -- especially Commissioner Mr. Colin Coxall -- in order for the crime situation to improve.

"I don't think those changes can be made overnight,'' he said. "It's going to take time to implement those changes -- perhaps more time than the Commissioner's stay on the Island.'' In a bit of informal media criticism that has become a regular feature of Sen.

Oughton's addresses, he once again praised The Royal Gazette for introducing a youth page earlier this year, but felt that more local youth should be featured on it.

"Youths,'' Sen. Oughton noted, "should see themselves reflected in the newspaper.'' Sen. Oughton (Ind) told the Senate that he hoped Premier Dr. David Saul's pledge to "lower the temperature'' of the Island by creating "harmony, peace and tranquility'' was a hopeful sign for the future.

He said: "I applaud him for that -- and I hope he can create harmony, peace and tranquillity in his own party and then in the community. It's necessary for us to do this and I think the community demands it of us.'' Sen. Norma Astwood (Ind) said the Throne Speech began with a recognition that the Government had reached the halfway stage of its current administration.

She added: "It's this Parliamentary session which is going to show how successfully history is written for some of the Bermudian generations to come.

"We can't afford to have business as usual, particularly when we meet in this particular chamber. We can't afford to take off more time when it comes to dealing with people's business.'' Sen. Astwood said that some of the older citizens of Bermuda might take the Throne Speech pledges with a pinch of salt, but that she wished the Government well.

She added that the issues troubling most Bermudians were crime, violence and public safety, although she said they were not new issues.

And she said Government had taken great steps to address conflict caused through racial matters.

The Senate debate will be concluded in tomorrow's paper .