Backbencher Wayne Perinchief yesterday called for senior Progressive Labour Party members to quit the racial rhetoric — or face being pushed out of the party.

The PLP risks falling apart because of "regressive" comments from politicians such as Works Minister Derrick Burgess and Public Safety Minister David Burch, Mr. Perinchief told The Royal Gazette. He said if they can't be converted to a more progressive mindset — in line with more forward-thinking members of the party — the leadership should weed them out.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Burgess hit the headlines when, during a lengthy race-based speech, he claimed United Bermuda Party MP Trevor Moniz had a problem coming to "slaves' children" for an answer.

And Sen. Burch — who was in hot water at the Senate last month for labelling Mr. Moniz and two other Opposition MPs "criminals" — has made numerous race-related public comments in recent years.

Many in the PLP are angry Premier Ewart Brown — who sparked a race row himself on Friday by claiming advertising firm GlobalHue was only criticised because it's owned by a black man — repeatedly allows such comments to go unchecked.

Giving his thoughts on Mr. Burgess' comments, Mr. Perinchief said yesterday: "Instinctively and intuitively, you know that it's wrong.

"You think to yourself, well how do you as an individual and as an elected politician reprimand that person, or educate them to try to get them on the other side of the divide without totally alienating them?

"The problem is to try to bring enlightenment to your contemporaries, i.e. the Burgesses and Burches of this world, without causing rift and split and division in the party, when something is fundamentally as wrong as this is, especially at this time — this is 2010. We are supposedly progressive people.

"But to me, I would say the party itself is developing into a group of progressive people and we have within the party elements of regressive people and regression. It's a difficult thing to hold the party together.

"What it really needs is a leadership and leader within the party now to hold together cohesively and weed out or convert people to a progressive way."

Asked whether people using such rhetoric should leave the party, Mr. Perinchief replied: "Either stop using it or get pushed out. People don't leave voluntarily if people think they are absolutely correct.

"There's no place in modern politics for that type of rhetoric. It's tiresome really, when all of us feel we have gotten over that. At least get over the dialogue, and the way we approach people with differing points of view. We keep slipping back to the 60s."

Last Friday, Speaker Stanley Lowe responded to UBP leader Kim Swan's complaints over Mr. Burgess by urging MPs to be more statesmanlike.

Mr. Burgess had said to Mr. Moniz: "You never thought that you would have to come to slaves' children for an answer. That's the problem, he doesn't like that, Mr. Speaker, and he better get used to it."

A number of backbenchers are said to be unhappy with the comment, with Mr. Perinchief explaining yesterday: "We don't support that type of rhetoric. I personally don't support it. To me, I think it's distasteful and disrespectful in any context.

"It takes our politics backwards, not only the racial interactions, but as far as the people respecting politicians as people who are progressive. It takes us backwards.

"To me, it's a throwback to yesteryear politics of the 60s. I think it's something that's deplorable."

Asked why some of his colleagues use racial rhetoric, Mr. Perinchief said: "I think there may be a belief, among some of our politicians, a certain part of our constituents may still appreciate that type of rhetoric from their politicians coming out of the ethos of where the PLP came from.

"We basically started off not just fighting the labour battle, but fighting against class dominance and racial divide.

"That's what we came out of, to combat. When we were in Opposition at an earlier time it was appropriate because that's what it took to get people's attention, and politics was divisive. We were fighting a psychological battle.

"But I think the shift now, from Opposition to being in Government, is now recognising we govern for everyone. It seems to be a difficult transition for some of our politicians to make."

House and Senate rules state MP and Senators must not use offensive or insulting words against the character of other members, or allege improper motives unless specifically through a motion.

Sen. Burch's comments that the three MPs are "potential criminals" were struck from the Senate record two weeks ago — only for the Senator to refer to "their criminal behaviour" later that same sitting, insisting all his comments were based on "irrefutable facts".

Mr. Swan said in a statement yesterday: "The Progressive Labour Party Government is lowering the standards of public discourse with their intemperate, infantile attacks on those who dare question their handling of public issues.

"It has been happening with increasing frequency and it must stop for the sake of community standards and morale. "In the past couple of weeks we have seen Government Ministers use inflammatory language when challenged to explain Government policy and actions.

"They have hurled racist taunts at members of my party asking questions about Government policy and performance.

"And just last week, we heard that a Minister [Sen. Burch] tore up a letter from the Mayor of Hamilton and sent it back to him in an envelope with a 'return to sender' stamp.

"This kind of behaviour is just childish and absolutely unacceptable for a Minister of the Bermuda Government. It distracts public attention and does nothing to further productive government.

"Our concern is that no one in the Government is exerting the discipline or setting a better example for Ministers. Indeed, we see the Premier as the provocateur-in-chief. As a result there is no accountability for bad behaviour, no one to rap knuckles or even fire ministers for setting a bad example.

"Bermuda is better than the in-your-face combativeness this Government's ministers. We don't want Bermuda defined by it. We're better than that, much better."