behind a controversial advert attacking his fitness to be Finance Minister.

Mr. Robinson said: "Sorry -- apology not accepted. And in any case, he doesn't need to apologise to me, but to the country. The country was outraged.'' And losing St. George's North opponent, the UBP's Kim Swan, called for whoever was ultimately responsible for the ad to come forward.

Mr. Robinson was speaking after adman Dusty Hind quit his job at Aardvark Communications, went public and said he wanted to "make amends'' for the advert.

Mr. Hinds admitted he placed the advert on behalf of a group of Bermudian businessmen -- and that there had been no racist intent.

But Mr. Swan said: "Hopefully, whoever is behind this will come forward and not hide behind one person -- I certainly hope so.'' Mr. Swan added he felt that the advert had damaged his chances -- but insisted the issue "was much bigger than that.'' He said: "It was derogatory and discrimination of any kind is wrong.'' The advert, placed by "true believers'' in then-Premier Pamela Gordon and her team, showed a picture of Mr. Robinson as now-Premier Jennifer Smith's choice as Finance Minister and also asked if people "really wanted this man to `broaden the tax base'.'' But Mr. Hind insisted the ad was run to emphasise "rumoured confusion'' over whether then-Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox, ex-Senator Terry Lister or Mr. Robinson would run the Ministry if the PLP won the General Election.

The advert was carried in The Royal Gazette in the dying days of the General Election campaign and was not placed through Aardvark, but a different agency.

Mr. Hind also confirmed Aardvark staff and the UBP campaign had no idea the advert was to run and had no involvement with the "true believers'' campaign.

Aardvark boss Ben Fairn confirmed Mr. Hind had left the firm and insisted he had quit to pursue other interests.

But it understood partners in the firm were furious at its name being dragged through the mud over the advert and left Mr. Hind no choice but to go.

But Mr. Robinson said Mr. Hind's resignation and the apology "didn't amount to a hill of beans.'' He added Mr. Hind still owned part of Aardvark -- and that his apology did not hold water.

And he said he had not returned phone calls from Mr. Hind because he "had nothing to say'' to him.

Mr. Robinson added: "He negated his apology by saying he didn't think the thing was racist.'' Robinson refuses to accept apology "But this is Bermuda, for God's sake -- this issue has been on the burner simmering for 100 years. People know what's what.'' And he said: "He is just pulling a slick PR thing to save his own hide.'' Mr. Robinson added: "He clearly doesn't understand the wrongdoing and clearly it's going to take the Human Rights Commission or the courts to show him the way.

"I don't see that I should be the person to explain all that to him.'' And Mr. Robinson urged Mr. Hind to make an apology, not to him, but to the people of Bermuda through another advert of similar size to the one slamming him.

He insisted: "There's just no excuse for it and he owes his apology to the people.''