Bermuda needs to face up to its racial bogeys says PLP challenger Ewart Brown.

He pledged to tackle the issue which he said was not going to go away unless Bermuda found a healthy way to confront the "disconcerting deeds of the past" and move forward.

He said: "You cannot harness a man's hands behind his back for a year, untie him and then tell him he is free to fight and may the best fighter win. That is not a fair fight.

"As a leader I would seek the creation of programmes to empower our formerly disenfranchised citizens, to give them a chance for a fair fight for their futures ? a fair fight for jobs, businesses, land and opportunity.

"I am confident we will emerge as one Bermuda ? united by our common heritage in spite of our different paths towards it ? divided no more."

Pressed for specifics on the empowerment agenda he told : "This is what our Cabinet will be challenged to do.

"MP Webb brought a bill for truth and reconciliation and although it didn't seem to be the right thing at the time, the concept itself was not lost on me.

"As part of Bermuda's getting over that hurdle we do need to have a better understanding of how things got like they are."

He said that Bill, which failed last time, could be reintroduced in a different format.

Asked about specific measures to boost opportunity for the economically disadvantaged he said: "Many of these things will not happen instantly.

"People under stress tonight will still be under stress during the initial stages of our administration.

"Bermuda is a small laboratory in terms of population. I believe we can make some adjustments and see the effects with in a year.

"That's what I can't be specific about which law we will change. But if we mean to change it we have to be bold enough to take the steps."

Ms Webb, who had brought the bill to the House, questioned why it was only now getting Dr. Brown's support.

"There's too much politicking for me. I brought the truth and reconciliation concept with a view to looking at institutional racism.

"It wasn't supported by either him or the government. Now a month or so later he is talking about bringing it. Either you support a thing based on principle or you don't."

But she said she was glad Dr. Brown had finally seen the light. "As a visionary I am used to people trying to catch up with me."