Bermuda should tackle festering race issues head on with public debates, says Chamber of Commerce President Cris Valdes-Dapena.

She said meetings about the long term residents issue had raised deeper underlying issues that had yet to be addressed.

She said: "It's almost like a dysfunctional family because tucked in behind everything, and in the midst of everything, lies this.

"Let's try to discuss this as a community - maybe it is time we put that issue squarely on top and addressed it explicitly and directly.

"What happened at the long term residents meetings was that we were discussing a topic and the race issue was tangential to it. Audience members were saying why are you discussing these problems when I still have these problems and I am a Bermudian? "What we've had is a vociferous element on these topics who have repeatedly not been engaged to see if we can make something constructive from it.

"It's something of a very real concern for many people.'' She said she was unsure how the meetings would be structured and suggested others chipped in with ideas.

"It's community therapy -- let's see if we can't inspire members of the community to come forward and take it further.'' And she said Bermuda should not feel its racial problems were worse than elsewhere.

She said: "I was living in the States during very, very serious racial tension and riots.

"People aren't killing each other here, a lot of people are feeling very hurt and bruised at the moment.

"People here have recently been very vocal and sometimes abrasive but it reflects the strength of feeling.

"Bermudians deal with it in a lot more measured way than people in a lot of other places.'' She said a lot more people could feel bruised as the debates raged but it was an inevitable part of the healing process.

"Maybe it takes a generation at a time to make a single step. At least it's better than nothing.'' Ms Valdes-Dapena, who comes from the US, said the racial situation had improved in her 24 years on the Island.

"There is no question -- I don't think there is any possibility that the real underlying situation is any worse because the white community, the business community by and large is becoming more conciliatory and more responsible and better about issues of racism.

"If the black community is more vocal it can only be because they feel more validated and more able to express themselves openly.'' She said the challenge was to keep the dialogue going.

Debates: Cris Valdes-Dapena