The surest way to end racism in Bermuda is for some people to give up their “white privilege,” according to ruling party backbencher Delaey Robinson.

“This isn't a word game. This is something you have to do - you have to give up your white privilege. When you do that then we'll see that you are genuine and the people will see that you are genuine.” Mr. Robinson comments came during Friday's motion to adjourn at the House of Assembly as controversy over recent comments by Tourism and Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb continued. He said the “vast majority” of Bermudians know why ProActive Management got the Berkeley construction contract and understood what Ms Webb was saying.

He pointed to recently released poll results that showed that party politics was polarised along racial lines. “This is why white privilege is reacting the way it is reacting from the Opposition benches over the awarding of the Berkeley contract... After 400 years of suffering white privilege I wonder where are we today? Are we even halfway toward seeing a solution to this question? And who could really solve this question?”

He said “obvious” solutions would be to ship out all the whites or all the blacks but they were unworkable. He drew a distinction between “genetic white people” and “white whites”, adding: “I have never seen any of these neighbours of mine who are genetically white... take advantage of white privilege.”

And he dismissed as “not serious” Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons' comments that Government should address the racial imbalances in Bermuda. “If you are really serious about addressing the race issue in Bermuda you cease to take advantage of white privilege,” he said.

Mr. Robinson added that “white white people” had the “disadvantage” of considering their privilege a “divine right” and related that during race sensitivity sessions he attended while a civil servant, some whites had said that they felt superior to black people.

“I suspect that there are white white people in Bermuda who vote solidly UBP but they feel that they have this superiority and the divine right of white.”

And he referred to Dr. Gibbons as “one of these white whites” who would not give up his white privilege. “If he did he would be hard put to be in the position he is in. After all he represents that constituency in Paget which is the most gerrymandered in the land.”

Paget votes have twice the value of a Devonshire vote, he pointed out, and the majority of Paget voters are white, he explained. White privilege can be removed somewhat through legislation such as ongoing electoral reform, but much was left to white people themselves.

The backbencher was one of a number of Progressive Labour Party (PLP) MPs who responded to Opposition criticism that Government still had not clearly defined its policies for the awarding of Government contracts and economic empowerment of those who have been excluded from full participation in the economy. “I have not enjoyed white privilege,” he said to Opposition hecklers who demanded that he explain what whites must do. “I am not a white person. I have not enjoyed white privilege so I don't know how to take advantage of white privilege.

“But white folks do and only they can solve this problem in Bermuda. And I look forward to seeing that happen in this country. And only when that happens will we begin to see true racial harmony.” He said that Government had not been “holding their breath” by hoping that “white whites” will give up their privilege, but, in addressing the issue of institutional racism, Government had introduced CURE legislation which mandated that employers report on an annual basis the racial composition of their workforce.

“Before CURE can do anything it has to be able to define the problem in real numbers. And that's why we brought legislation to the floor of this House to change the CURE legislation so we can get some real measures of what racism is all about in the workplace. But it is up to whites to come to the floor on this issue.”