A taskforce to help young, male African-Bermudians achieve the "respect and glory they are capable of in the community'' was announced late last week.

Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome said the project was to be one of the main priorities for the new Bermuda Family Council -- which was until last year known as the Women's Advisory Council.

He appointed former Physical Abuse Centre counsellor and past President of the Bermuda Special Olympics, Alfred Augustus, as the body's new chairman.

And Mr. Bascome reassured women that they would not "lose any of the group's focus'' despite the body's shift from women-only to the family. The Council would now encompass the whole community, he said.

That all-inclusive approach would allow the Council to seriously consider how to improve the plight of many young black males.

Too often these young men had been forgotten about and languished with little attention until they got into trouble in court, Mr. Bascome said.

"No one has spent enough time, money or effort on looking into the challenges they face.'' He listed some of those obstacles as the high incarceration rate, low employment rate, wall-sitting, single parenting, low-paying work and a lack of responsibility taken for their own families.

"We are going to find out how we can help these men achieve the respect and glory they are capable of in the community.'' New chairman Mr. Augustus said the Council's new philosophy would be to promote a positive environment exemplifying family values and encouraging families to stay together.

He said another goal was to promote self respect in order to stamp out violence within families.

"We believe that every citizen has a role to play in our society. However, those roles should blend together to form the most harmonious, law-abiding, loving, free and productive society possible.

"Since the community is comprised of distinct and separate family units, we all must be concerned that these family units are stable and steadfast.'' He said the Council would address the needs of families in the home, school, workplace and the broader community.

"Our express purpose is to make a positive contribution toward improving the social, educational, vocational and leadership capabilities of all family members.'' Also serving on the BFC are Kehinde George, Judy Burgess, Wendy Lambert, George Thomas, Wilma Lowe, Belinda Cyrus, Donald Jones, Kevin Bean, Roy Wright, Carmen Roberts and Pamela Jones.

GOVERNMENT GVT