Progressive Labour Party MP Renee Webb says her party needs to “get over” the race issue as she denounced those who were annoyed the party was attracting new white members.

While urging her party to push on with economic empowerment to ensure blacks get a fair share of the wealth she said too many in the PLP were liable to use the race issue on every occasion.

Her outburst came as it emerged that Education Minister Randy Horton will likely stand in Southampton West — despite losing the backing of the local PLP branch.

A strong ally of the Premier, Mr. Horton had lost overwhelmingly to Marc Bean, who may now be given a chance to run in another constituency. Last night Ms Webb, discussing some of the wider problems inside the party, said: “The days of using the race card in Bermuda should be long over.

“But every time something is done it’s ‘I am a victim of racism’. Get over it. The time has come to be responsible for your own actions — not rely on Government to push them forward.

“Government has to represent everybody. They are trying to get white people into the party — you have no idea how much people resent it.

“People are saying ‘Who are all these white people all of a sudden getting in the party?’.”

Asked if the resentment was because the white candidates newcomers were being fast-tracked over party stalwarts with years of service she said: “Time has nothing to do with it — no-one is saying ‘Johnny-come-lateley’. They are saying: ‘White!’ It is exactly that.”

Ms Webb, who is retiring at the coming election after 15 years in parliament, said it was good that Premier Ewart Brown was seeking to get fresh blood.

She said white construction boss Zane DeSilva, tipped to fight one of the Southampton seats, was a good addition as he had an understanding of the building industry, while Jane Corriea, a 43-year-old contracts administrator at Correia Construction, also had valuable business nous.

Ms Webb said the party needed more educated people with business contacts who had been exposed to the world.

The PLP has around 70 people wanting to stand for the party in just 36 seats.

Some critics of the new selection process have said the new people aren’t that exciting.

Ms Webb said: “We don’t have Brian Duperreault, Brian O’Hara or Philip Butterfield sitting at the table. We are not getting them. But at least there is a change. That’s what you want.”

She said at the moment the party was often picking people who are “nice people who have never been away to college — or if they did it was three years in a mediocre one”.

“They have never lived abroad, they don’t have a sense what the world is like. Bermuda is an international centre, an international financial jurisdiction. You want people who know what that means, how that functions. If you don’t know at least read and absorb. If you are not interested at all it causes a problem.”

But she said many legislators were not interested in debating - in the House of Assembly or outside it. “Bermuda is very under-served by its politicians. I think the Premier wants to change it.”

She said the Opposition also has a problem attracting top level candidates.

Meanwhile, The Royal Gazette understands Mr. Horton is likely to remain in the Southampton West seat he comfortably held by more than 200 votes in the last election. Supporters of Mr. Bean, a 35-year-old Government consultant involved with the Mirrors programme for troubled teens and an advisor on CARICOM, had indicated he didn’t want to step aside after he beat Mr. Horton by eight votes to one at the selection meeting.

However it’s thought Mr. Bean, who is president of Somerset Bridge Recreation Club, could be given a chance to run elsewhere as the party hierarchy exercises its grip on the selection process. Under a new system, which opponents claim has no basis in the PLP constitution, new powers have been given to the candidates selection committee to turf out local choices if opinion polls showed they didn’t have voter support.

However critics have said some people have been dropped without any statistical evidence being shown that rivals were doing any better. Party sources said Attorney General Phil Perinchief, who currently sits in the Senate, is likely to be selected to run in St. George’s South after local choice Rev. Leroy Bean was shunted aside.

The seat was won by Ms Webb by eight votes in the last election.

And the race to secure the party nomination for safe PLP seat Pembroke East, being vacated by stalwart Ottiwell Simmons, is not yet over despite former Senator Walter Roban getting the branch nomination and Public Safety Minister David Burch declining the opportunity to oust him.

Sources said Mr. Roban’s nomination is still in jeopardy while sitting MP George Scott, who won the Warwick North Central by 134 votes last time, could also be on the move with former Warwick MP El James being mentioned as a possible replacement.

Meanwhile Charles Clarke, the PLP’s assistant treasurer, is being tipped to fight Hamilton West — currently held by the United Bermuda Party’s Wayne Furbert.

The PLP is expected to make formal announcements on some of its candidates next week although around ten seats are still thought to be up in the air.

Webb tells some PLP supporters to ‘get over’ race