Bermuda needs to awaken family values and bring discussions back to the dinner table to quell anti-social behaviour.

That is according to Senator Marc Bean and Lanel Guyton, Pastor of St. Paul's AME Church, who both highlighted these issues when speaking at the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) banquet on Friday night.

They spoke on the topic that Chris Furbert, the president of the BIU, had selected for the evening at the Fairmont Southampton Princess, where among the workers were also representatives of the Government including former Premier Jennifer Smith, Education Minister Randy Horton and Health Minister Nelson Bascome.

Rev. Guyton, who was the keynote speaker for the evening, animatedly urged the community to try and move away from the "microwave" society and instill values in children.

He said: "I want you to remember two things: never leave the table until you have finished your meal and if you are discussing family business you are required to stay at the table until you work things out.

"We are family, and family sticks together through the thick and thin. But now we are in a microwave society. What used to be a time of the family where they would sit for a meal and share what was on their mind has all but gone by the wayside.

"It's time to come back to the table. Some men have put their desires in front of their families. Why else would we have a world surrounded by AIDS epidemic?

"Why? Because mankind at some point put self-interest in front of the family.

"Families do whatever they need to do but they never cross that line of violence and hurt to get their point across. We need to come to the table and hammer out a plan of action."

Sen. Bean, who is a community activist in his own right, targeted education as the key for the Island's youth to find pride in themselves.

Because the youth don't know where they are coming from they don't know where they are going, according to Sen. Bean, and the adults really need to teach them what is important.

He added: "The world we are living in today has changed dramatically. Contending ideas are so strong it's very hard for our young people to learn about right and wrong.

"Education is the key to nation building and the progress of the youth to end anti-social behaviour. Without our youth knowing our history what future do they have?

"The education reform which is going on is supposed to be a stop-gap measure. Once this is done we push forward. After the reform comes the evolution."

"We are spiritual people and in this context we must first look at the family unit then the educational institutions. They (the youth) need us adults to show them how to love."

"There's nothing more simple and free than love and I personally love you all."