Government has hit back at allegations that it is "a write-off" in terms of diversity, saying there are no closed doors in the Progressive Labour Party.

PLP acting spokesperson and Senator Walter Roban contacted The Royal Gazette after Portuguese community leader Robert Pires accused the PLP of having "no responsibility for anybody of any background other than their own".

Mr. Pires was even more critical of the opposition United Bermuda Party, calling for the resignation of Opposition leader Grant Gibbons and arguing that people of Portuguese heritage in Bermuda were being marginalised in the political arena.

There is currently only one Portuguese MP, the UBP's Trevor Moniz, despite there being a significant Portuguese population in Bermuda.

Yesterday Sen. Roban defended both the PLP and UBP.

"There was a time when the UBP had extensive Portuguese representation in the House of Assembly," Sen. Roban pointed out. "At one time, they had at least five members in Parliament, one who was a Speaker of the House."

Why those numbers are now down, he added, was a question for the UBP.

As for the PLP's record on representation and the Portuguese community, he said: "As far as I'm concerned, the PLP's open. There is nothing stopping them."

Sen. Roban said he stood by PLP activist Leopold Kuchler's comments that race was not an issue within the Government party. "He is an active member," Mr. Roban pointed out. "I have worked with him. Clearly he feels that he has a place there."

The PLP has also successfully placed white members in the House of Assembly, he added - members who did not run in demographic areas characterised by Caucasians - people like late Tourism Minister David Allen and Dorothy Thompson, who was an MP in the 1960s.

Both, he said, ran in PLP strongholds.

"Voters don't ride on the stereotypes. They support the party," Sen. Roban said.

"That speaks to how people in the PLP are accepted - irrespective of their colour. PLP supporters and members don't choose who they support on racial criteria. I don't think that Mr. Pires' comments were reflective of anything about the PLP."

Mr. Pires also made a comment regarding Government's reception of Portuguese delegates and officials in Bermuda, saying they had been all but ignored by the Government.

However, Sen. Roban said his own research showed that there had been only one major delegation to Bermuda from the Azores, for extensive artistic/cultural purposes in the early days of the old PLP Government.

That delegation was proudly received by former Premier Jennifer Smith and her Government, Sen. Roban said, and was well reported in the media.

"There are no other Portuguese delegations that have sought audience (at the higher levels of Government) and been refused," he said.

"I question the authenticity of that comment. That, in itself, gives Mr. Pires' comments little credibility. What he's saying is not true. He's suggesting the PLP Government has been disrespectful to the Portuguese community."

Mr. Roban questioned who Mr. Pires had approached from the PLP over the issue, especially since July's General Election, and added that anyone wishing to involve themselves in the party could approach not just the Premier, but elected members or officers of the party.

Mr. Pires can follow the examples if he chooses," Mr. Roban said. "He has plenty of examples to follow ... There is no door that is closed."