The One Bermuda Alliance applauds CURB and its unwavering efforts to remove the scourge of racism from our lives. And we are grateful for CURB’s timely intervention, especially at a time when Bermudians are deciding how they want Bermuda to be governed over the next five years.There is no denying that our development as a country, a society, and a people has, over the decades, been hampered by the dire consequences of racism. In everything from commerce to sports, from leisure to worship, Bermuda has been, at times, segregated and split by notions of race and racial superiority and labels such as ‘victim’, and ‘oppressor’.Equally, it can be argued that Bermuda’s development has been uniquely successful in providing one of the highest per capita incomes for its people when compared with other countries. Our mix of private sector and public sector scholarships has provided Bermudians, regardless of race, with educational opportunities that have led to the quality of life that Bermudians enjoy.It must also be acknowledged that although the election of Barack Obama to the US Presidency in 2008 was historic for a black man in the US; in Bermuda, by the time Mr Obama was elected, Sir Edward Richards, Sir John Swan, the Hon Alex Scott, and Dr Ewart Brown had already held the highest political office in our land, as had Dame Pamela Gordon and Dame Jennifer Smith, something the US has yet to accomplish.Therefore, the political challenge that the OBA took from CURB’s report was how would we, as a Government, lead the Country into a “post-racial” environment?How would the public sector enact and implement the policies to govern in a way that would lead the private sector to a time when: “...the colour of one’s skin would be of no more importance than the colour of one’s eyes”?The political imperative that brought all of our candidates, members, and supporters, together under the One Bermuda Alliance banner was the pressing need to govern Bermuda for all its people; to discard the polarising notions of retribution with power, or the preservation of biased power.Today, there are more black CEO’s of publicly traded companies in Bermuda than ever before. There is also an overwhelming percentage of black staff in the lower levels of corporate Bermuda. There are more black male policemen, judges, and lawyers working in the criminal justice system, yet there are quadruple the number of black men in Westgate than any other race.These illustrations reveal the complex nature of addressing racial imbalance in Bermuda and, as a result, the One Bermuda Alliance believes the best way to find a solution is to start with us. When you look at our team, you will see diversity; not just of race, age and gender, but in other traits that can affect one’s life in Bermuda.As candidates and executives, the One Bermuda Alliance’s roster contains energetic and competent young Bermudians along with seasoned MPs who are marking a decade in Parliament. There are black male insurance executives and a white male former policeman. Our leader is a successful entrepreneur who meets with oil executives from the other side of the planet, and another candidate is a dub poet and photographer. We are diverse, and are much the better for it.However the most important aspect of the OBA’s diversity is not our resume. It is the fact that when we meet as a team to discuss a national issue, we approach it from multiple angles and experiences. There is no vague “party way” and there are no power plays to ensure a certain camp is satisfied; each member is valued and we all bring our life experiences to the discussion and the solution.Whether it is criminal justice, educational attainment or corporate advancement, the OBA will approach other sectors with an open hand, not a fist. We will lead by our example, and show by our teamwork, the value that comes from diversity and fairness.The One Bermuda Alliance began this process at its very formation, it is our guiding principle, and it is our unshakeable commitment to govern Bermuda for each and every one of us.Craig Cannonier is Leader of the One Bermuda Alliance.