Former Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith yesterday confirmed he has joined the Progressive Labour Party.

Mr. Smith — the brother of former United Bermuda Party Minister Tim Smith — said he believes it is time for Bermudians to play their part in breaking down racial barriers which have been "Bermuda's Berlin Wall".

"I refuse to corral into a political camp because of the legacy Bermuda has had," he told The Royal Gazette.

Mr. Smith joined the PLP in August after previously turning down requests to join both established political parties, although he declined to comment on his move until yesterday.

"Bermuda is a better place when the status quo is challenged. Race has been Bermuda's Berlin Wall," said the Paget East resident.

"Some choose to sit on the wall; some cower behind it; some hold it up. I'm convinced that the majority of Bermudians have chosen to knock it down.

"In knocking it down, all must play a part in building the foundation for the future. We simply cannot keep doing things the way we have always done.

"Future generations of black Bermudians and white Bermudians, indeed all Bermudians, deserve so much more than the legacy of what we've been left.

"It's up to all of us to play our part, to forge that way forward. When history looks back we'll take great comfort if it describes that we paved the way, that we put Bermuda first."

He said all three political parties want the same thing: a successful economy, improved public safety and jobs for Bermudians.

Explaining why he joined the PLP, he said: "Several things are clear to me in making this decision: Bermuda must come first. I'm committed to a path of reform, modernisation, social justice and expansion of the economic opportunities for all Bermudians laid out by the Progressive Labour Party.

"Politics must be about the people. Politics also presents choices for us as voters and as citizens of the country we love.

"We need to refuse to be corralled by the politics of the past which virtually determined where the X in the ballot box would go. There is so much more which binds us together than keeps us apart. In making this choice, I'm very optimistic about the journey we face.

"But it is much more than just about race. We stand at particularly difficult crossroads in time and to the extent that any Bermudian can help — all Bermudians should help and choose the vehicle they believe best enables them or empowers them to contribute to Bermuda's future.

"We have much work to do together on the many strategic issues facing the country and I'm pleased to lend my support to that effort."

Mr. Smith said that while he was Police Commissioner for five years to 2005 he enjoyed a good working relationship with the PLP Government, although he had no political affiliation.

Yesterday, he declined to discuss crime policies, stressing he is merely a party member and that he has made no formal steps to become anything more at this stage. He did say the recent young black males study, by Professor Ronald Mincy, could be a good guide for public policy because it gives credibility to a situation many have pointed to anecdotally.

In the past few weeks, he has been attending PLP meetings to explain why he's joined the party, and said he has received a very encouraging reception from Cabinet Ministers, branch members and delegates. Offering his reaction yesterday, Mr. Smith's brother Tim, a former Education Minister, said: "Sadly we have historically defined people by which political party they join.

"This is as much the fault of individual biases as it is legacy of both the UBP and PLP.

"It will be refreshing when we can define political parties around how we expect them to govern. If he can help by making the PLP government more accountable, transparent and responsive, then Bermuda should be the better for it.

"While I might not share the same political affiliation, I am hopeful he can have a positive impact. It will certainly make for more interesting political debates around the family dinner table!"