Based on his comments in today's paper, I can only question if Robert Pires is the best person to represent the interests of Long Term Residents.

I say this because the things that he proposes are so remarkably far from the truth, that he is clearly doing more damage to LTRs than good.

His basic premise -- that the PLP is the agent of hatred and bigotry towards LTRs -- is in direct contradiction to the fact that the PLP is the first Bermuda Government to ever offer them permanent residency and equal employment rights.

You can haggle over all of the other rights Mr. Pires claims that LTRs are due, but it is a simple fact that the PLP has clearly stated that deportation is absolutely not a consideration.

The same could not be said about the UBP when they were in Government.

Perhaps the most telling thing about Mr. Pires' comments is that LTR's understanding of how black Bermudians supposedly feel about them is limited to their experience in the meetings this summer.

Had they ever spent any significant amount of time with black Bermudians, they would have known that the anger expressed was not only healthy for the community, but also only one of the many feelings felt towards them (both good and bad).

Any LTR who leaves Bermuda based on those meetings, does so on their own ignorance of Bermuda's complex, multi-dimensional society.

It both troubles and perplexes me that these departing LTRs are asking black Bermudians to understand their pain, frustration and anger, while wanting absolutely nothing to do with the pain, frustration and anger black Bermudians are only now able to express to them.

SHOE'S ON THE OTHER FOOT By E-mail