In less than a week, the OBA's candidate for Constituency 10 has already attempted to back away from his own derogatory remarks about Black public officers. While he claims to have been “misquoted” on the dog whistle nature of his prior remarks, he has doubled down on attacking the public officers.

Despite condemnation from both the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party and the Bermuda Public Services Union, the Leader of the One Bermuda Alliance Jarion Richardson has remained silent and invisible on this matter.

There were countless Bermudians who were deeply offended and hurt by Robert King’s remarks, and his feeble attempt to back-pedal while still doubling down on disparaging public officers doesn’t help. It is high time for Jarion Richardson to step up and take a stance on this issue.

If he doesn't share Mr King’s low opinion of Bermudian public officers, then why hasn’t he publicly denounced or distanced himself and his Party from those remarks? What is more telling is the hundreds of online comments by OBA supporters that continue to degrade Bermudian public officers.

If Jarion Richardson truly stands behind his candidate’s words and believes what Mr King and his OBA supporters are saying, then why hasn’t he demonstrated the strength of his convictions and come out in support of that statement?

Bermudians need to know if the OBA has a leader who is willing to take a stand against the disparaging remarks by Robert King and online supporters.

• Neville Tyrrell is the Government Whip and the MP for Warwick South Central (Constituency 26)