More business support for Cedarbridge Academy; Training for Bermuda's young, high-speed scooter demons so they may one day employ their talents as emergency response crews; A beauty therapist training programme; A self-managed BMX bicycle track for Island youth.

These were a few of the ideas that were yesterday brought to market at the opening of the Ministry of Labour's Open Spaces and Technology conference, which resumes this morning at Pier 6, on Front Street. About 180 people are registered to attend the two-day workshop.

Shortly after 9 a.m. a wide cross section of community workers, white collar executives, single mothers, and jobless listened to Bermuda-born consultant Arnold Minors.

Participants set jobs meeting agenda Mr. Minors told the group: "Think of this as a marketplace of ideas.

"Nothing is sacred; anything counts: The next two days will be about the building of Bermuda.'' The conference -- which is being facilitated by Mr. Minors and Government training officers Glen Fubler and Naomi Schroder -- is an attempt to promote dialogue and an exchange of ideas among the various stakeholders in Bermuda's labour economy: "My only agenda is process,'' said Mr. Minors.

Delegates themselves set the agenda by floating an idea they believed would help to create jobs, posting it on a central bulletin board where they hoped it would draw the interest of other attendees. From there delegates broke into smaller groups to examine the proposal in greater detail; ultimately the idea lives -- or dies -- on its own merits.

The conference appeared to get off to a rocky start when the Bermuda Industrial Union announced last Sunday night it would not participate because of the presence Mr. Minors -- a graduate of the Berkeley Institute -- whom they charged was just another outsider "telling us what to do''.

BIU President Derrick Burgess added enough employment surveys had been done which are now sitting and collecting dust. However the union Thursday night appeared to soften its stance, saying the conference should go ahead and its members would be free to attend if they so desired.

Mr. Minors acknowledged the BIU's position, but pointed out his strong family ties to the Island and his desire to see his native land succeed.

Minister Home Affairs Quinton Edness -- in opening remarks -- pledged his Ministry would study any serious proposal to emerge from the process.

"Everybody needs a job, everybody. Next to water, shelter and food, a job is the most important thing a person can have,'' said Mr. Edness.

Some of the goals of the conference he added, would be to bring discouraged or dispossessed young black males into the economic mainstream, to encourage more employment options for former prison inmates and to end all forms of discrimination in the workplace.

"I'm very excited by the process. We haven't seen anything like this in Bermuda before,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

National Liberal Party chief Charles Jeffers was also enthusiastic, but he slammed the "politicisation of the process'', saying the conference was more than just a study.

"It's most unusual to come to a conference where the people are setting the agenda; it's a new experience.''