Filling out the proposed forms to provide racial information in the new CURE regulations is no different from completing the Manpower Survey.

And Development Minister Terry Lister, speaking to a group of St. Georgians in the second presentation on the regulations, again denied they are a prelude to "quotas'' or mandatory hiring practices.

The regulations to the CURE act, defeated in the Senate last month, have caused a stir over recent months with CEO of $10 billion a year exempted company CTW, William Williams packing up and moving back to the US.

Jittery businessmen and the Opposition United Bermuda Party, and Senate Independents claimed there had not been enough consultation with business interests.

But Mr. Lister said: "As you know it was deemed by the Senate that there hadn't been enough consultation.

"That's all debatable,'' he continued. "The process prior to getting the regulations to the House involved consultation for a year and a quarter with the Bermuda Employer's Council who are always portrayed as the union of the employer.'' Mr. Lister said the criteria used in the Regulations are based on categories used since the 1970s in the Manpower Survey questionnaires.

And the 540 companies with ten or more employees would not have much of an additional burden in completing the forms.

Employees would complete certain information -- particularly racial classification -- which would be confidential.

A company's racial makeup would not be made public, as are Human Right's Commission's findings.

Only general statistics by industry grouping would be published, providing a benchmark for managers in their hiring practices.

Addressing the issue of falsification of racial data Mr. Lister said: "All statistical surveys determine that a percentage of people are going to lie.

Statistically it's three or four percent. We'll just have to deal with that.

"We are interested in the racial mix by employee level, the salary level, and by the different benefits,'' he added.