An important unspoken issue in the forthcoming election is that Bermuda is not integrated in any meaningful sense. Most Bermudians will have no contact with members of another race as long as it is possible to avoid such contact.

Some Bermudians are unmindful of the race of the people they are dealing with even to the extent of inter-marriage. Other Bermudians see improved inter-relationships between the races as something of vital importance.

Whatever the existing relationships between individuals of different races, some general aspects of behaviour can be identified.

For instance, whites show a general reluctance to join or cooperate with any venture controlled or dominated by blacks. Many blacks show far greater willingness to join or cooperate in ventures controlled or dominated by whites.

The most obvious example of this divergence has been in the political arena where only a very few whites are prepared openly to support the Progressive Labour Party. However, a far greater number of black Bermudians are prepared to support the United Bermuda Party.

This seemingly misplaced loyalty of so many blacks is not easily understood or tolerated by those of us not afflicted by the perceived need for white approval.

Why than do so many black Bermudians seem willing to reintroduce a system of government which has had the result of leaving them with lower proportions of the assets of the country and markedly lower average income?

The situation becomes even more bizarre when one considers that the Bermuda population census 2000 (page 119) indicated that 95 percent of black Bermudians are citizens by right of birth.

This compares with only 71 percent of white Bermudians who can make this claim. Good race relations cannot possibly develop in a situation whereby the majority race both in terms of numbers and birthright does not have equal access either to the economic or the political arenas.

The UBP had over 30 years as the government of Bermuda to change this situation substantially. Yet they did very little.

In fact, efforts to improve the education system by black members of the UBP saw their political careers abruptly terminated. I refer to Dr. Stanley Ratteray and Mr. Gerald Simons.

Mrs. Gloria McPhee, managed to locate the Bermuda College in a prime site in Paget despite screams of outrage from the predominately white population of that Parish.

However, Mrs. McPhee's success arose out of the fact that she was under the protection of Sir Henry Tucker, perhaps the most powerful Bermudian of the last century.

The PLP under the leadership of Dr. Ewart Brown will certainly raise the standard and effectiveness of Bermuda's public education system. Premier Dr. Brown and Minister of Education, Mr. Randolph Horton have shown a willingness to do this by taking serious steps to implement the report of the consultant engaged to review the system and to make significant recommendations for change.

But the Brown government has not restricted its activity to education. It has also made certain that the economy is strong enough to support the significant changes that have been initiated in the education system as well as in other aspects of government such as internal security, health, the care of seniors and the social services generally.

This has been accomplished, in the main, by marked expansion of the Financial Services sector and by actions taken to revive Bermuda's once flourishing tourist industry.

Since the PLP came to power in 1998, they have introduced initiatives that have vastly improved the potential of the tourism industry to increase markedly its contribution to the Bermuda economy.

The PLP has enabled tourists to move about more quickly and freely by the introduction of several new ferries. These were given the name "Dr. Brown's Fast Ferries" by a UBP opposition who refused to acknowledge the importance of improved internal transportation to the revival of tourism.

But Dr. Brown and the PLP have introduced several more initiatives to spur on the tourist industry: they have persuaded the airlines to reduce fares; they introduced the Hotel Concessions Act that has stimulated owners of existing hotel facilities to upgrade their properties; and they have succeeded in publicising Bermuda throughout the world as a first class tourist destination through the successful introduction of the Grand Slam of Golf.

The Grand Slam, which was wrested from Hawaii, has greatly publicised Bermuda to our target tourist group – the upper income groups of the world.

By means of the television broadcasts, many of these high rollers were shown a Bermuda which was an idyllic site for a vacation with the whole family. They saw a Bermuda that was secure, scenic, with a year-round mild climate and in possession of many challenging and truly beautiful golf courses.

Still, faced with this marked success, the political opposition can only continue to offer the Bermuda voting public, the blatant lie that our Premier is corrupt.

This smear continues despite the fact that the claim of corruption has been investigated by the highest law enforcement officials in Bermuda and one of the most effective law enforcement agencies in the world – Scotland Yard.

But what has been scandalous and shameful about the whole affair is the fact that documents compiled by the police relating to the Bermuda Housing Corporation investigation, were stolen from the offices of the Police.

No member of the public seems to know what the documents purport to say except a character who calls himself "Son of the Soil". This man claims that he will release the contents of the documents at the time of his choosing.

Seemingly, the news-media considers the date of the release of the documents of some importance when one considers the amount of publicity that has been given to "Son of the Soil".

It would seem that the news-media generally has little concern with the fact that publication of the documents will change very little since they contained no evidence that Bermuda's laws were broken in the first place.

At least this was the conclusion of the Police Commissioner, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief Justice all supported by Scotland Yard.

Nonetheless, former Premier, Mr. Alex Scott MP JP has decided that he must add support to the gossip and innuendo being freely disseminated by Bermuda's news media and the political opposition.

He has achieved this with a statement to the Bermuda Sun in which he clearly supports the allegations against Dr. Brown to the extent that he suggests that if the election is close, Dr. Brown might find that his leadership will be challenged.

I trust that Mr. Scott is aware that all political leaders who lose an election or face a reduced majority of seats, face the real possibility that their leadership will be challenged. This should not need to be stated.

I would have much preferred that Mr. Scott had used the opportunity of a statement to the Bermuda Sun to emphasise how much more qualified Dr. Brown is to lead Bermuda than the leader of the Opposition. Dr. Brown is well endowed with the qualities that most management schools call the characteristics of good a good leader. These are:

¦ He is articulate;

¦ He is honest and forthright;

¦ He is very intelligent;

¦ He has a clear vision;

¦ He has the ability to communicate his vision effectively to his followers; and

¦ He is a risk taker.

These qualities Dr. Brown possesses in abundance and it explains why in just a few years, he has been able to change completely the landscape of Bermuda's economy. Certainly, the wealthy membership of the Mid Ocean Club and the owners and managers of Corporate Bermuda are very happy that Dr. Brown has succeeded in bringing the Grand Slam to Bermuda.

For these and many other reasons, I intend to join with thousands of other Bermudians to give every support to Dr. Brown and the PLP on December 18.

calvin[AT]northrock.bm