Opposition MP Ewart Brown last night brushed aside a political candidate's claim that he made a racial attack.

But Dr. Brown, who represents Warwick West, said the issue raised by Sanders Frith Brown, the Independent Unfettered Bermuda Party candidate in Paget East, brought to light a matter of greater significance, namely confidentiality.

Mr. Frith Brown revealed last week he had filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against Dr. Brown over comments he allegedly made to members of the Bermuda Medical Society in October.

He claimed Dr. Brown said: "What right do you white English doctors have, coming from lowly circumstances, making a lot of money in Bermuda, telling me what to do.'' Mr. Frith Brown said the remark came after Dr. Brown -- the medical director at Bermuda Health Care Services Ltd. -- had his request to bring in an associate turned down.

Yesterday Dr. Brown said: "I stand by what I said to the Bermuda Medical Society, but that is not the issue now. That issue is seven months old.'' However there was a matter of greater significance he said he felt he had to deal with.

"I am gravely concerned about the matter of confidentiality in terms of internal matters of discussion in the Bermuda Medical Society.

"We have reached a new low when our internal agenda can be thrown about in the media because of disrespect for our own rules.'' Dr. Brown said the matter was made graver by the fact that Mr. Frith Brown's wife, Dr. Valerie James, was the president of the medical staff at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

"By definition she will be aware of a great deal of sensitive information and I am sure that members of the public would want to rest comfortably with the knowledge that their confidentiality is observed.

"Without that we have no law and no order,'' he noted.

"On a lighter note,'' Dr. Brown added, "I do not want to deal with the emotional status of Mr. Frith Brown because by his own admission we could be cousins.'' Dr. Brown explained that Mr. Frith Brown claims to be 1/32 black.

"Therefore it is possible that as he has the last name as mine we could be cousins. I don't want to start a family feud.'' Mr. Frith Brown is seeking permission from TV watchdogs to hold a broadcast debate with fellow Paget East by-election candidate Craig Walls of the Progressive Labour Party.

Mr. Frith Brown said he had asked for permission to stage an hour-long debate, to be broadcast on VSB.

The move came after Mr. Frith Brown challenged UBP candidate Kim Young to a debate.

But broadcasting insiders said there were strict rules governing political programmes, especially during a lead-up to an election or by-election and that it was unlikely Mr. Frith Brown would get permission.

A spokesman for VSB said they would be happy to stage the event -- if Mr.

Frith Brown "provides us with the appropriate documentation''.

PLP MP Ewart Brown POLITICAL PTL