Opposition Leader Kim Swan yesterday criticised Premier Ewart Brown's comment about forming "one people out of two Bermudas".

And he described Dr. Brown's time in office as a missed opportunity to bring Bermudians closer together.

"After hearing words of unity spoken by Premier Brown on the weekend I was of two minds," he said. "My first reaction was: You've got to be kidding. After years in which he never hesitated to sow division for political gain, this sounds like a deathbed conversion.

"My second reaction was more positive: Better late than never."

Dr. Brown's comments were made at the Bermuda Race Relations Initiative (BRRI) Trailblazers Awards dinner on Saturday night.

He told those in attendance: "Now that we have become more comfortable discussing race, we will now be more comfortable addressing the legacy of race, the eradication of institutional racism and unearned privilege and how we can form one people out of two Bermudas," he said then.

Mr. Swan continued: "At least he's taking a leaf out of the UBP playbook. Our goal has always been 'One People, One Bermuda', so I'm encouraged when anyone takes up the mantle, even a Premier just weeks from resigning."

Residents are looking for a more inclusive message than what has been given by Dr. Brown for most of his time as Premier, the UBP MP said.

"People will respond to a positive, inclusive vision. People will respond to leadership that is anchored in principles of fairness and justice.

"The Premier had the opportunity to follow that line during his years in office and to build something really solid from which the Island could move forward together, but he didn't.

"Instead, our public life was dominated by images of inside deals, favouritism, race-baiting, cronyism, careless public spending and vanity projects things that soured people and deepened cynicism; things that advanced individuals, not the society.

"That's the missed opportunity and it is tragic because a man with Dr. Brown's gifts could have done it. But that is the history, that is the man and it can't be changed, not even by a film.

"For me, you build a better society on principles of fairness, justice and trust; a platform on which opportunity is open to all and seen to be open to all; a platform actively maintained and enforced, where everyone has the opportunity to succeed."

See opinion on Page 4 for Mr. Swan's comments in full.