Bermuda could do better in the treatment of Portuguese and poor blacks according to two visiting human rights activists.

The pair have been employed by the British Government to assess and advice on human rights issues in the overseas territories.

Dr. Dessima Williams and Geraldine Terry are urging the public to raise concerns during their stay and at a public meeting on Monday.

Dr. Williams said: "Some of the issues we have already come across are the political marginalisation of the Portuguese and the economic marginalisation of the black majority."

Ms Terry said Portuguese representation in the House of Assembly had fallen to two MPs from around eight.

Dr. Williams noted statistics which showed a number of young black males were not finishing their education which was affecting their ability to get jobs. She said: "The Human Rights Commission will have to take that up."

She commended the setting up of the Happy Valley pre-school by Government, saying: "That is tremendous for low income families. It is an example of best practice."

Director of Human Affairs Major Kenneth Dill said Bermuda is far ahead of all the overseas territories on human rights.

He said: "I was in the Caymans and delivered a paper on Human Rights in Bermuda and they wanted to use us as a model.

"With the European Convention of Human rights you need a lawyer to go to court, it's justice for the rich."

He pointed out that Bermuda has a bill of rights unlike the UK.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said he did not believe Bermuda had much to worry about on the human rights front.

He said: "Bermuda is in pretty good shape but as in any jurisdiction there are things which could be done better.

"It's a question of fact finding and where there are good things they can be spread to other jurisdictions."

He said the pair would produce a report for the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of International Development but he said he didn't know what would happen then.

However Dr. Williams said although Bermuda was well served with a bill of rights and a Human Rights Commission it wasn't the end of the story.

She said: "Just because the infrastructure is hear it doesn't mean all is well."

She said new human rights challenges were always emerging such as the need to handle HIV victims in a humane manner.

And she noted that Bermuda had yet to sign up to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women although she said it had been promised by Government in the throne speech.

Groups and individuals wishing to raise human rights concerns should call Dr. Williams and Ms. Terry at the Hamilton Princess. They leave Bermuda on Thursday. The public meeting will be held at the Anglican Cathedral Hall on Monday at 7.30 p.m.