offering and apology from the man who targetted him in a "bullseye'' advertisement prior to the election.

Former Aardvark Communications executive Dusty Hind submitted the advertisement on November 2, 1998 on behalf of a group of Bermudian businessmen calling themselves "true believers'' in then-Premier Pamela Gordon and her team.

The advert, not placed through Aardvark, showed a picture of Mr. Robinson as now-Premier Jennifer Smith's choice as Finance Minister and also asked if people "really wanted this man to broaden the tax base''.

Mr. Hind later apologised to Mr. Robinson by phone and in a newspaper advertisement. But he has refused to disclose the identity of those behind the advert.

Yesterday, during a public forum at the offices of the Human Rights Commission, Mr. Hind -- who was initially seeking a private meeting with Mr.

Robinson -- apologised again and presented a sculpture of a dread-locked man by John Shihowi from Zimbabwe which he had bought while on a trip to Africa.

"Because of an ad that I ran for a client last year Delaey was demeaned,'' he said. "I ran a public apology. However I've also been seeking a way to make direct amends. I purchased a sculpture...

"I would like to thank Eva Hodgson of NAR for bringing us together so that I may present this gift to Delaey as a symbol of my direct amends and a hope for reconciliation.'' But Mr. Robinson -- who rode to victory in St. George's North on a wave of public uproar branding Mr. Hind's advert as racist -- was not convinced of Mr.

Hind's sincerity.

Mr. Robinson, who insisted on having a public meeting with Mr. Hind, said: "This thing is bigger than the both of us.'' The meeting was officiated by Dr. Hodgson, the National Association of Reconciliation co-founder, "because this issue has gone way beyond Dusty Hind and Delaey Robinson...there are an awful lot of people that are still angry.'' Mr. Robinson explained that he could not accept Mr. Hind's gesture of apology because Mr. Hind was not prepared to disclose the names of those behind the advert and he did not appear to understand why it was racist and insulting.

"I think I have a responsibility to accept an apology, but I have to understand that there is some substance behind it,'' Mr. Robinson said.

"We've known each other for a long time. There's been no animosity between (us)...However, when this piece came out and there was the reaction there was, Dusty did ask me what can I do to make amends. And I said to start with you can at least get an ad in the paper...However...at that time the reading I got from speaking with the man himself is he might well have been more concerned about getting the heat off Dusty Hind than actually making a real apology for the ad. The impression I got from Dusty was he did not quite understand how this thing had blown up to become quite as big as it did and so he really did not understand how the ad was insulting. So I told him again...there was no way I could accept an apology if that was really his understanding.'' Mr. Robinson added, "Public gestures are great. But if they are not backed up by something of substance, then they are empty gestures.'' Mr. Hind defended himself by saying: "I fully understand and this is not an empty gesture.'' Mr. Hind also maintained that he did "get it''. But he remained adamant about not disclosing the names of those behind the ad.

"It's more than loyalty, it's ethics,'' he said.

Not sorry enough: After apologising, Dusty Hind (left), listens to Government MP Delaey Robinson respond. Next to him is Mr. Hind's gift of an African sculpture of a dread-locked man.