"inflammatory comments'' when he called on company leaders to refuse to comply with Commission for Unity and Racial Equality regulations.

And Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb said she was glad STD Fixed Income Management CEO William Williams had said he was taking his business away because "we don't need people like him here''.

Comments were made in yesterday's Royal Gazette by Mr. Wlliams, who advocated acts of "civil disobedience'' by not filling out forms pertaining to the racial make-up of work forces.

"That was an inflammatory statement coming from an influential person in this community to flout the laws of this country,'' Mr. Perinchief said during yesterday's Motion to Adjourn in the House of Assembly.

"Bringing about a balance in the employment sector is of paramount importance to this country,'' he said in support of the regulations.

Mr. Perinchief noted that two current factors of prominence in Bermuda -- politics and economics -- were "in direct opposition right now''.

"It is the responsibility of this Government to act as a balance,'' he said.

"What this Government is doing is not out of sync with what any other democracy should be doing.'' Ms Webb also made reference to the article.

"We don't need people like him here,'' she said of Mr. Williams. "We have enough decent, hardworking foreigners here without him and that other `Expat CEO' who wrote that letter to the editor.'' "I want to know when he is leaving because people like him have shown that they have no respect for this country,'' she added. "That is not acceptable.'' Ms Webb asked why Mr. Williams was going back to the US "where they have racial quotas, when we're not even going to have quotas here''.

But Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell asked why Government had waited until yesterday to speak on the CURE regulations, when they were passed through the House last week, despite the Opposition United Bermuda Party's calling for a quorum to try and block it.

"We agree that these regulations are a serious matter,'' he said, "and we were bitterly disappointed by what went on in the House last week.

"All of what the Honourable Premier said this afternoon should have come out then, not now.'' Mr. Dodwell said the issue of Mr. Williams' calling for "civil disobedience'' should be looked at in a certain light.

"It's a question of degree,'' he said. "He is unhappy with the changes that have gone on in Bermuda since he arrived and that's his right.

"When the honourable member Ms Webb said that we don't need foreigners she came to an emotional, intemperate conclusion rather than a practical one.

"And what I mean is that it is not the right message to be sending out to the international business community.'' Mr. Dodwell asked Ms Webb not to "shoot the messenger'' and added: "You've got to recognise the power of communication.'' "It isn't appropriate for business leaders to hear that we don't need them,'' he said. "If we erode their confidence in us the we're then ones who will suffer.''