the workplace because its code of practice has no method of implementing its own guidelines, an Opposition Senator charged yesterday.

Sen. Terry Lister made this claim during his speech in the Upper House where they were considering the Code of Practice for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Promotion of Equality of Opportunity in Employment.'' Sen. Lister said that the Code was an important document but trust between all parties covered by its dictates was essential to its success.

However he said he was "embarrassed'' to discover that the Code had no clearly defined method of measuring compliance or performance and no method of implementing the very practices it wants to see achieved.

"We have the velvet glove but there is no iron fist,'' he said. "This report is a failure.'' And Sen. Lister pulled out an old report, The Newman Report, to illustrate the "big problem'' Bermuda had with respect to discrimination in the work place.

After siting statistics, he said that The Newman Report outlined a need for legislation.

But Sen. Lister said he was willing to wait a year to see if the Code made any difference.

"Let's try one more year,'' he said. "But if we are not satisfied, then we put in some penalties.'' UBP Senator Noela Haycock agreed with Sen. Lister's comments that if no change was detected after one year, then legislation should be put into effect.

And she pointed out most the recommendations in the Code were morally right and suggested many businesses followed them already.

"Most of the recommendations are morally right and just good business sense,'' she said. "And I can't believe that most businesses do not follow them already.'' Earlier, Government's newest Senator, E.T. (Bob) Richards opened the debate and pointed out that race was not something that many people were comfortable discussing.

And while it may have disappeared off the "official radar screens'' ordinary Bermudians still talked about it.

Sen. Richards said that one of the difficulties encountered when dealing with racism is that Bermudians cannot agree on how to define the problem.

For some he said it "is a figment of the collective minds of black people.'' Unfortunately, Sen. Richards said there was a deep lack of respect for the culture and institutions of persons of the African Diaspora.

"We can't force people to love us, like us or socialise with us,'' he said.

"But we can require the workplace to confirm to certain standards of justice.'' Moreover, Sen. Richards said that the "skewed distribution of income and responsibility'' has led to low productivity as a country.

This is a consequence of there being many under utilised individuals who, if given a chance, could assist the Island's ability to compete globally.

Opposition Senate leader Milton Scott said that Bermuda has been in denial for a long time when it comes to racism but what is required is for the island to reach a point where "we all agree it exists.'' Sen. Scott asserted that Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte's decision to quit politics was due to the institutionalised racism within the United Bermuda Party's rank and file.

Furthermore, Sen. Scott said that the Code was a step in the right direction even though the victims of workplace discrimination needed protection when they stepped forward to make a complaint.

Sen. Larry Scott (UBP) meanwhile said there was a "huge wall of racism'' that affected everyone but he held up Hubie's Bar on Angle Street as a paradigm of cross-cultural understanding.

He said that the bar attracted a good selection of people who enjoyed the music and the atmosphere.

Sen. Scott said that it was time for Bermuda to move out from under colonialism.

"As long as we have the same old relationship we will be governed by the same old rules.'' Many blacks have stopped believing in the process but it was up to employers to help to alleviate their concerns.

While not perfect, Sen. Scott said that Bermuda needed more companies like Belco.

Sen. Walwyn Hughes (Ind) said it would be difficult for anyone to say things are not better in the workplace.

He said it was important for credit to be given where it is due.

Sen. Yvette Swan (UBP) said that the Code set out exactly how we can expect people to act toward each other in the workplace.

And she said the Code was a giant step but there were other facets of discrimination such as that based on gender, religion and political opinion which also needed addressing.

Sen. Swan said that discrimination touched all racial groupings in Bermuda and not just whites against blacks.

In fact she said it was not hard to find cases where Bermudian whites had discriminated against expatriate whites and local blacks had discriminated against other blacks.

Meanwhile Sen. Neletha (Honey) Butterfield (PLP) said discrimination came in many forms but the difficulty with workplace racism was that it required a change of attitude and this cannot be legislated.

In the main, she said racism in the workplace affected blacks mostly but the solution was to find ways to encourage people to respect each other.

Sen. Alf Oughton (Ind) said the Code of Practice for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was similar to the Code of Good Industrial Relations which has been in the workplace for about a year.

And it was time to see how that Code was working because it was one thing to say that these Codes are in place and quite another to see how well it is being implemented.