THE Human Rights Commission (HRC) is understood to be investigating former Progressive Labour Party Senator Calvin Smith's recent comments regarding white Bermudians and the role they must play if the Government moves towards Independence.

Disturbed that the former Senator's statement ". . . if white people don't wake up and get on board this could end up with racial hostility" could provoke racial violence, Spanish Point resident Curtis Dawson lodged a complaint with the HRC last Thursday.

The former PLP Senator's comments appeared in the June 15 issue of as part of a preview to The Forum on Independence ? a debate organised by the Bermuda Industrial Union's Political Education Committee, held that same night.

At the forum, a white audience member questioned Mr. Smith about his comments, asking exactly what he was supposed to "get on board" with.

"We don't have the facts," the man was reported by as saying before adding it was a "fabrication" to say white people were not on board.

Instead of clarifying his position, Mr. Smith decried the man's comments as "stupid".

He followed with an immediate apology, but a black audience member continued the attack, warning the white man if he said another word, "he's got to go".

The incident led Mr. Dawson to file his complaint.

"What Mr. Smith said, in effect, was you white people can either get on board or there'll be racial violence on the island," said Mr. Dawson. "One of the white audience members stood up to ask a question and within minutes was told by one of the black audience members that he'd better sit his ass down or the racial violence would start now.

"That's definitely incitement to racial violence. Based on Mr. Smith's comments, the guy was threatened with violence if he didn't shut his white mouth up and settle down.

"It's not right. Once the rest of the world starts finding out it's okay to repress and threaten white Bermudians with physical violence, (potential) tourists might choose to take their business elsewhere."

He argued that as a former Government official, it was irresponsible of Mr. Smith to make such comments, especially in connection with a public forum, especially on a matter which affects all of Bermuda.

"He's a former representative of our Government. He's a former Senator for God's sake. Imagine (US presidential candidate John) Kerry saying, 'I want all you black people to get on that goddamn boat and go back to Africa'! Can you imagine that? 'You black people are not with my programme, get your asses out of here'. Imagine the outrage that would erupt. But in Bermuda, nobody even cares.

"Well I care. And it's time that everybody took a stand on this. Racism has got to be stopped.

"Some people in Bermuda, black and white, think that racism is wrong," he continued. "There are, however, a lot of people in Bermuda who are black and think nothing's wrong with racism. I also know that there's a few white people in Bermuda who think the same way. The fact is that the PLP has won two elections saying, 'We're black and we can do better for you'."

Mr. Dawson also had harsh words for the Human Rights Commission. His understanding when he called to make his complaint is that none of those he spoke with at the Commission knew a thing about the incident despite it having received extensive coverage in the island's television and print media.

"They knew nothing about that meeting. How could they miss it? It was in all the papers. It was on the television news. How could these people, who are getting paid to pay attention to human rights violations, not notice it? The Commission should be proactive, not reactive."

Yesterday, HRC executive officer David Wilson said it was his organisation's policy to not air comment on complaints received. However, he said that it should not be assumed that issues would be overlooked unless a member of the public made a complaint.

"I'm not going to say what the Commission ought to act on," he said. "The Commission does have the power to initiate investigations of its own volition in addition to complaints coming in. Just because a month has passed doesn't mean that it won't deal with it.

"I think what you need to appreciate is that the Commission meets once a month. There could be an issue which took place (prior to that) which the Commission decides needs to be looked at and will then take the necessary steps. It doesn't mean that because a month has passed it won't necessarily be dealt with."

When contacted, Mr. Smith said he knew nothing about the complaint.

He added that the report which appeared in attributing such statements to him were inaccurate, and to verify, all one needed to do was examine the opinion piece he wrote on Independence prior to the interview.

"We were talking about Independence, all I said was that for Independence to work, the races have got to get along together. Black and white people need to resolve whatever isses they have before we venture off into Independence."