which has whipped up a political storm -- and may have broken the law.

UBP chiefs distanced themselves from yesterday's Royal Gazette ad which has been dubbed an example of "racism''.

The ad casts scorn on the Progressive Labour Party's "choice for Finance Minister'', Delaey Robinson.

Now UBP leaders have mounted their own offensive -- challenging another ad in The Royal Gazette featuring two black hands breaking the chains of slavery.

The anti-UBP ad, titled "They Might Remember'', was signed by social activist Dr. Eva Hodgson.

Yesterday an angry Premier Pamela Gordon said her party had nothing to do with the Robinson ad. And she said she was "livid'' when she saw it.

"I don't operate that way,'' Ms Gordon said. "We have taken the high road.

We do not need that type of politics.'' Ms Gordon said her party leadership was appalled at the ad. But she stressed both the UBP and PLP had fringe supporters who could not be controlled.

An investigator for the Human Rights Commission said the ad, sponsored by "True believers in Pam and her team'', violated the Human Rights Act.

And the spokesman advised the newspaper to "take the necessary steps to cease and desist'' from printing it anymore.

The ad has a recent photograph of the dreadlocked PLP candidate Delaey Robinson with a caption "Jennifer's choice for Finance Minister'' and "do you really want this man to broaden the tax base?''.

Mr. Robinson last night slammed the ad as "outrageous'' and called on people to vote against a party he claimed was supported by "racists.'' In the ad, Mr. Robinson is surrounded by concentric circles which callers to radio talk shows claimed were targets or a bullseye.

Mr. Robinson said he was outraged at the people who placed the ad and at the newspaper for printing it.

He said: "The majority of people in this country have hair like mine. It might not be the same style, but it is the same hair.'' He added: "I hope they are sufficiently outraged that they come out and vote against a party that is supported by racists.'' Mr. Robinson said Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream that one day his children would be judged by their character not the colour of their skin and said he hoped that the Island had gone beyond judging someone by their hairstyle.

Political row over ad He added: "I'm a lot more outraged and the people of Bermuda are more outraged than Premier Pamela Gordon seems to be. It is an insult to every man, woman and child in the country. It is outrageous that the politics of hair is important.'' Mr. Robinson said he had worked in the Ministry of Finance for 17 years and it did not matter there what style of hair he had.

"I was not hired for what was on top of my head,'' he said. "But for what is inside of it. I'm almost speechless.'' Deputy Premier Jerome Dill said: "The advert was regrettable like a number of adverts and suggestions that the PLP has been putting forward. I hope that the PLP don't support these adverts, which are in fact their own work.

"I am sure the Human Rights Commission is going to look at this sort of thing. It is completely out of character for Bermuda and Bermudians.

"I would like to extend mine and the UBP's best wishes to that man who was maligned in that advert.'' PLP press officer Corey Butterfield said the Island may have to consider "curtailing'' such ads "if the print media is going to be irresponsible'' by printing them.

He added: "You can tell by the reaction of Bermudians across race, gender, and age, it was highly offensive. The print media will have to be more responsible with the editorial decisions they take.'' Mr. Butterfield said pulling the Robinson ad was like "closing the barn door after the horse has bolted'' and claimed it was the same company that did the UBP ads.

He added: "We did receive a call from somebody in the advertising company who said the UBP had placed the ad.

"It is the latest in a series of ads. An ad from that group from last week had a cannon which was also used in a party television ad.'' Mr. Butterfield continued: "I hope that all members of the UBP candidate team are embarrassed. Deleay Robinson has asked for an apology.'' Editor of The Royal Gazette David White confirmed yesterday the ad had been withdrawn and political ads were scrutinised before being run.

"I did vet the ad,'' Mr. White said. "While I found it thoroughly unpleasant, I could not find a legal reason to refuse it.'' He added that he suspected the ad was pulled because the people behind it "understood what we understood, that it was both dirty and counterproductive''.

Meanwhile, Ms Gordon voiced UBP outrage at the Hodgson ad.

The ad states the Read and Remember radio programme -- which it claimed was to promote reading -- has been postponed as a "political threat''.

"Encouraging the black community to read is considered a political threat -- just as slaves were forbidden to learn to read because that was considered a political threat,'' the ad declares.

National Association for Reconciliation spokeswoman Dr. Hodgson, whose name is signed to the main body of text, said she challenged anyone to counter the statements.

"They are my comments for sure,'' she said. "The Read and Remember Programme was Mr. Dale Butler's efforts at pushing reading. All the things in the ad are facts.'' Dr. Hodgson said it had been suggested that the PLP was too incompetent to govern, and that the black community was still dependent on white institutions.

She added she would ask those who criticised the ad: "Haven't you condemned Eva Hodgson for talking about race? Pick out anything that is negative without being true.'' The ad encourages the public to vote for "the change so deeply desired by...Dr. E.F. Gordon (the premier's father)''.

But Ms Gordon would not back down, saying many people romanticised Dr. Gordon.

She added he was vilified in his lifetime.

"It was a different story when he was alive. He was that West Indian foreigner and not only to Front Street.'' Ms Gordon said although it was important to remember the past, her party wanted a future of "inclusivity not exclusivity''.

Delaey Robinson