We in the United Bermuda Party support the idea of a continuing dialogue between the people of Bermuda on matters of race.

The more Bermudians understand the facts and perceptions of circumstances between people, the better chance we will have to create ways to move forward together as one people.

We're not there yet, and we think few would argue with that assessment. Any dialogue on race that is directed toward solutions for our society must be managed or conducted in a manner that attracts, encourages and embraces the active participation and support of a working majority of people of both races.

Anything short of that will not produce the constructive solutions we need; solutions to problems that keep us apart. Buy-in is essential. It must be there from the beginning, and it must hold through to the end of the process. In order for that to happen, people must trust the process and the people responsible for the process. They must trust that the people's agenda is the only agenda in play, and not that of other parties.

At its core, the process needs an honest broker, one who is focused on doing the right thing, and one who is capable of stripping away the non-essentials, the distractions and the ulterior motives in an even-handed way.

You have to wonder whether this is the case with The Big Conversation. We have our concerns and doubts. They arise out of the role of the person at its centre: Mr. Rolfe Commissiong, who is the Premier's chief advisor on race relations, the manager of The Big Conversation as well as a candidate for the Progressive Labour Party in the next election.

While it is possible for people to wear two hats in their professional life, Mr. Commissiong tends to wear them at the same time. He misses few opportunities in his work in The Big Conversation to cast aspersions on the United Bermuda Party. If you've seen him on TV, heard him on the radio or read him in the newspapers you will be familiar with the manner in which he cites "facts" subtly twisted into distinctions that portray this party as regressive and his party as progressive. The most recent example was his shamelessly partisan response to concerns raised by Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin over the sole sourcing of a multi-million dollar contract for the construction of vehicle emissions testing facilities.

He presented as if the UBP's objection was based on the colour and ethnicity of the people who were awarded the contract. Not so. Even the reporter recognised this when he asked Mr. Commissiong to explain why the contract had not been opened to bidders in the black and Portuguese communities. Mr. Commissiong declined to comment, saying he did not want to get into details.

He was at it again this week when he tried to connect "previous governments" to a denial of education opportunities for black Bermudians. Rubbish! This sort of approach by the person who heads the initiative, we believe, undermines the potential of a process that, properly handled, could improve race relations on the island.

That a partisan operative has been put at the centre of the government's discussion on race — an operative who weekly expresses PLP sympathies and objectives — speaks volumes about Premier Brown's own view of the Big Conversation.

The Premier may genuinely believe in its stated objectives, but it's starting to look all too partisan.

Some people may not have a problem with that, but we believe the subtext to Mr. Commissiong's communications on The Big Conversation have tainted the process with a partisanship that undermines meaningful progress.

We believe this is why more people are not becoming engaged in the dialogue.

There must be a presence at the centre of the programme that attracts, not alienates people. People will not join a process if they sense they are going to be used.

In our view, it was a mistake to put a political partisan in charge of something so important. We therefore urge the Premier to replace Mr. Commissiong. Get him off the public purse and onto the PLP payroll where he truly belongs.

It is vital for the success of this initiative to have someone at the helm that is not tainted by partisan politics.

It is essential to find someone who is accepted across the Island, someone who can be trusted to carry forward an open, honest discourse on matters of race and no other agenda, certainly not the agenda of a political party. A dialogue can succeed if it is seen as a sincere endeavor to improve island life. It will be will not succeed if it looks and sounds like a partisan political agenda.

Sean Pitcher is a United Bermuda Party candidate for Constituency 15, Pembroke East. He can be reached at 737-1203.