Dismissing the recent calls for his resignation as "politically correct'', members of the fledgling Commission for Unity and Racial Equality have publicly thrown their full support behind embattled chairman Mr. Michael Mello QC.

At an October 31 press conference to announce the formation of CURE, which the Government hopes will stamp out discrimination by identifying and tackling race-related problems, Mr. Mello touched off a firestorm of criticism by telling the media that he "personally (didn't) believe racism was a major problem''.

The chairman, a partner in the law firm of Mello, Hollis, Jones and Martin, later attempted to qualify his remark by saying that he was trying to point out "the many subtle ways that it (racism) is now expressed'', but his critics remained unswayed.

"Not only was the statement manifestly stupid,'' said Mr. Rolfe Commissiong, an organiser of the recent Million Man March in Bermuda, "but insulting as well to all right-thinking Bermudians, particularly those of the African Bermudian community.'' Contending "that institutional racism in all of its manifestations is the number one problem in Bermudian society today'', the spokesman for the corresponding One Million Man Coalition then called for Mr. Mello to either apologise or -- "better yet'' -- resign.

"Without the support of the African Bermudian community,'' said Mr.

Commissiong, "CURE's effectiveness will be seriously impaired, if not crippled.'' At its first official meeting last week, however, the 12-member CURE task force voted to stand behind Mr. Mello after discussing the controversy "in depth and at length''.

It publicly announced its decision on Friday.

"The commission,'' the task force members said in a statement, "does not endorse or condone his remarks; however, we fully understand and accept them in the context in which they were made.

"...While we recognise that it may have been `politically correct' to call for his resignation,'' they continued, "we will not set forth endorsing the intolerance which we have been appointed to eradicate.'' In response to suggestions that CURE's credibility has been damaged by the controversy, the task force said that its work would be completed as planned and done so under Mr. Mello's leadership.

"We are confident in his ability to chair the commission and respect his integrity and sincerity,'' CURE's members said. "All members have pledged their support to Mr. Mello.'' MR. MICHAEL MELLO