Bermuda's deputy Police Commissioner designate is an inappropriate choice whose appointment will set back race relations in Bermuda, an Opposition Minister claimed yesterday.

Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mr. Alex Scott's charge came one day after The Royal Gazette revealed on Saturday that Mr. Michael Mylod served as a training officer for the Rhodesian Police Force during the 1960s.

"That's not the place for a liberal Englishman to be,'' Mr. Scott said.

"Given what was happening in that country at the time, he would have been assisting in the training of security forces that were propping up a racist colonial regime.

"The Rhodesian security forces were used to suppress the activities of the African National Congress and other Black nationalist groups.'' Mr. Scott further charged that unless Mr. Mylod had been hired to suppress Bermudian blacks, he was not the kind of person that Bermuda needed.

"We do not know who expunged this undesirable fact from his resume, but it is a most important to know. We in the PLP require a full explanation of his work history between 1957 and 1965.'' And Mr. Murray Brown co-chair of the National Association for Reconcilliation told The Royal Gazette Mr. Mylod's work in Rhodesia made him a poor choice.

"This simply confirms our suspicions,'' Mr. Brown said. "When Government spoke of his qualifications, they played up his work directing a large Police force in England as if that would make him suitable for Bermuda.

"He has no experience policing a country like Bermuda that is small island with a predominantly black population.'' However, Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mr. John Irving Pearman said there was no reason why Mr. Mylod's service in the Rhodesian Police Force during the 1960s, should make him unsuitable for Bermuda in 1995.

"Why should this fact make him ill-suited?'' Mr. Pearman asked. "If we accept the PLP's stance, then how do you explain Mr. F.W. deKlerk's role in the new South Africa or for that matter (PLP member) Mr. Julian Hall, who was an active UBP member at one time? "People change and take on different responsibilities and we must accept that.'' The current skirmish between Government and the Opposition over Mr. Mylod's resume stems from an allegation that his service in the Rhodesian Police Force was deleted for "sinister reasons.'' On Friday, deputy Governor Mr. Peter Willis pointed out that Mr. Mylod's curriculum vitae only highlighted those facets of his employment history that were relevant. Consequently, only his employment with the British Police Service was considered germane.

Mr. Willis confirmed that Mr. Mylod did serve in Northern Rhodesia as a training officer before the country became Zambia at independence in October 1964.

His job involved monitoring the recruitment of Africans into the Police force.

Mr. Mylod also had a stint in the navy and worked in the private sector before joining the Devon Constabulary in 1965.

As a chief superintendant, he worked with the Overseas Development Administration and conducted courses for Commonwealth officers from Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia.