THE man who is expected to take the powerful Bermuda industrial Union to a new high is Chris Furbert. He was elected president after having served ten years as first vice-president to Derrick Burgess, who retired at last week's Quadrennial Delegates' Conference.

If we were asked to sum up Chris, we might say only that he looks suave. But looks may be deceiving; time will tell.

Perhaps Furbert may not be classified as one of those rugged activists who brought the BIU "up the rough side of the mountain", like in reverse order, Ottie Simmons, Robert Johnston, Dr. Barbara Ball, Eugene Blakeney, George Baisden, Kenyetta Young and Kingsley Tweed, to name just a few.

After all he was only aged 18, when he joined the union in 1971. But Furbert was a third-generation longshoreman. The longshoremen comprised the BIU's most militant division.

Furbert's grandfather Nunny Robinson earned his livelihood on the waterfront; and so did Nunny's son, Reginald Robinson. It was Reginald who got Chris his first job on the waterfront, and he put him through the paces well.

This writer gleaned this information from the new BIU president, when I interviewed him for his segment in the 334-page book I wrote, The History of the Bermuda Industrial Union. Within 18 months Furbert had become assistant secretary of his division.

He began his 18-year tenure as president of the Port Workers' Division, as the longshoremen became known, followed by ten years as the executive vice-president of Derrick Burgess.