more important than the abolition of slavery.

The comparison had been made by Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade at a PLP rally in Southampton on Friday.

But the Hon. Sir John Swan hit out: "For Mr. Wade to compare the potential of a PLP victory to the emancipation of slaves is the most insulting attempt to polarise this Country I have ever heard.

"As the black Premier of this Country and a successful business leader I can only join with thousands of my fellow Bermudians in being both insulted and deeply saddened by this last ditch evidence of desperation.'' Sir John said the real issue facing voters was which party was most competent to manage the economy.

Yesterday Mr. Wade, however, was equally scathing on the United Bermuda Party's stance on race.

He said Sir John Swan had talked about bringing down racial barriers.

"I submit it was Sir John who put up those barriers in the first place,'' said Mr. Wade.

He added Sir John -- as a black man -- had had 11 years to correct the community's ills.

But he had failed, and could no longer be trusted, Mr. Wade claimed.

The eve of election blows have brought race relations firmly to the forefront.

Sir John said he had been stung into responding to PLP jibes about the UBP's position on race.

"For the PLP to say that this election is being fought over the proposition that blacks cannot govern ignores the central fact that blacks are governing Bermuda and are governing successfully.

"As has been the case so often in this campaign, the PLP is calling for something that already exists -- in this case, a successful government managed by black leaders.

"The PLP's rhetoric would have you believe that very few blacks have risen to positions of responsibility and authority in government, the civil service and in the private sector.

"Literally thousands of black Bermudians have moved into managerial positions in our society during the period the UBP has been in charge.

"Despite endless criticism and endless attempts by the PLP to rewrite history, the facts are the truth.'' Sir John promised he would personally remove the remaining "glass ceilings'' preventing blacks from promotion in business.

"The way to eliminate these barriers is not to tear everything down -- to ignore everything that has been accomplished -- and to start from the beginning.

"It is instead to put on the final push that will take us the last step.'' Sir John said the election really hinged on who was best able to run Bermuda.

Mr. Wade, however, said the UBP Government had missed chances to improve race relations.

It had, for instance, failed to give the Human Rights Commission power to carry out their own investigations into allegations of discrimination.

Mr. Wade also broadened his attack, saying the UBP had bungled the education system and health care.

The Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association's ability to help people with medical bills for overseas treatment had been severely restricted, said Mr.

Wade.

"We have a society that has been created by the UBP over many years. We have a legacy of Sir John Swan.'' Meanwhile, yesterday the UBP was criticised by the National Association of Reconciliation.

The organisation, which praised the PLP's responses, had handed out questionnaires on race to party candidates.

Co-chairperson Dr. Eva Hodgson said the UBP failed to deal with racism in its answers.

The party did not answer no or yes after being asked whether it acknowledged racism and considered it a serious problem.

Instead it said the issue was too important to be reduced to such simple answers, said Dr. Hodgson.

"I think they were evading the issue,'' she said.