his White Paper on racism was a move toward "reverse apartheid''.

Former National Liberal Party chairman Mr. Geoff Parker, speaking for the NLP, said on Wednesday that "making racist acts criminal offences would create more problems long term''.

He also claimed that new powers granted to the Human Rights Commission would "go against the laws of natural justice and especially the Bermuda Constitution''.

Mr. Dill said everyone had the right to their opinion, but added: "I believe the contents of the White Paper are in the best interests of harmony amongst all Bermudians.

"The paper itself, clearly states that the Government is not trying to create a Eurocentric or Afrocentric community.

"I think that the concern about creating an offence of racist acts are similar to the concerns about sexual harassment.'' He added: "It was initially thought by people like Geoff Parker, I assume, that women would be coming out of the wood work accusing men of sexual harassment out of revenge. This did not happen.

"And I think the world is a better place now that such erroneous and destructive arguments have failed to prevent the introduction of progressive legislation, such as legislation relating to sexual harassment.'' Chairman of the Human Rights Commission Cannon James Francis said he and the Commission members support the efforts of the White Paper.

"Obviously, Mr. Parker did not read the White Paper or he has given his own interpretation on what it is about,'' Cannon Francis said. "I cannot see how one can arrive with those conclusions having read it.

"These amendments bring the Bermuda Human Rights Act in line, especially with that of Canada.'' Cannon Francis added: "You can never have too much legislation to protect the rights of people.

Human Rights Commission member Mr. Raymond Davis said Mr. Parker was certainly not speaking with the "realisation of the plight of the many who have been victimised by the system which we have admitted to be institutionally racist''.

Mr. Davis added: "Many individuals have come to persons like myself and other commissioners and are expressing fear of reporting issues effecting them or their colleagues, issues in some case which may be quite blatant.

"But they will not go to the Commission itself to file a complaint, or even confer to the Commission office because they are afraid they will be identified by their employers as being against some of the practices in their office.'' Mr. Davis said people are afraid of the repercussions coming from the employers and are therefore, further victimised.

"That fear prevails over many persons on the Island that suffer daily. They witness what they perceive to be racist or discriminatory acts.

"What this White Paper does, in fact, is protect individuals from having to stand up, so to speak, and be the sacrificial lamb in any circumstance.'' He added that the paper allows the Commission to simply go directly and investigate the situation without anyone having to file their name as a complaint.

"And this is what Mr. Parker calls McCarthyism.

"He should know that to investigate an issue does not make a criminal out of any institution or persons, and even if the Commission does discover that there is at least a case to be questioned, the individuals questioned are in fact innocent and are allowed legal defence.'' In Mr. Parker's statement he noted that the island's criminal juries reflected Bermuda's racial make-up.

"If a white person is accused of a racial crime and the jury is made up of mostly blacks, can Mr. Dill guarantee justice will be served?'' he asked. "We think not.'' He agreed safeguards, education, and encouragement were needed to break down "institutionalised racism''.

But he said: "To launch investigations without a complaint, ordering compensation for mental anguish and the allowance of the Human Rights Commission to represent complaints, smacks of the tactics of the French Inquisition and the similar reign of terror of McCarthyism.'' He added that the proposed legislation was "dangerous, as it will eliminate the basic freedom and human right of being innocent until proven guilty''.

Mr. Parker saw it as a "revenge legislation'' to appease the Progressive Labour Party, and "nothing more than potential black apartheid.

"The community better wake up,'' Mr. Parker said, "and smell the roses because the very authority that is supposed to be looking after your human rights will be doing so by taking them away.''