For more than 35 years, a comment during a noise pollution debate in the House of Assembly has been used as a shorthand for Bermuda’s social problems and as a cudgel against the man who made it, Sir John Swan, and against his party.

During the debate on an amendment to the Summary Offences Act on the night of June 23, 1989, opposition Progressive Labour Party MPs complained that police would target “poor young Black people” and the amendment was an attack on Blacks in general.

The amendment enabled people to report excessive noise to police from between 6am and midnight for prosecution if the noise was “excessive” from a distance of over 100 feet.

The late lawyer and shadow minister for Legislative Affairs, Julian Hall, called the change “madness” and complained “there are some who seem to wish Bermuda to become another form of English country garden”.

He also likened the Bill to using a cannonball to kill a mosquito.

Later, Sir John took to his feet and in response to Mr Hall, said: “We have to realise that young Blacks are a problem …”

Mr Hall interjected and asked Sir John to rephrase the comment, but he refused.

“I don’t need to rephrase it. We have to acknowledge that many young Blacks will not achieve what we want them to achieve.”

Sir John then said one of the possible reasons for this is because they have bought loud music systems, The Royal Gazette reported in its front-page story.

“Often because of economic means and conditions which allow them to have these instruments, they have chosen to turn these up and turn down their sensitivities.

Sir John continued: “There are people out there living under siege, who are constantly disturbed and who are afraid of their neighbours and have to put up with this, year after year, day after day, minute after minute up till midnight.

“We want to reduce the antagonism, and the friction level and increase the level of awareness and understanding.”

Just days later, during the next Senate session, future PLP premier Alex Scott complained the comment was not only a blow to young Blacks, but that it sent rumblings of racial discrimination through the entire community.

“If any White man had dared to say the same words, we would have been asking for his head. The Premier’s comments have caused tremendous outrage.

“He was given a clear opportunity to clarify what he has said. If he fails to apologise, we must ask for his resignation as leader of this country. Retraction, clarification or resignation!

“It is a very unhappy occasion when the Premier of this country says — in parliament — that ‘young Blacks are a problem’.

“He has upset ― to no end ― the entire community, and that goes beyond just the Black community.”

The next week, Sir John told the House: “I make no apologies. I speak from experience and I will not back away from what has been my own experience and my genuine concern.”

He rounded on opposition MPs whom he said had tried to make political capital out of the comment.

“If they want to ignore the problem and not save our young people, if they want to capitalise and think that will get them power, they are wrong.”

The Opposition’s Reginald Burrows called for “constructive programmes” to “bring these Black youths they say are a problem into the mainstream of Bermuda life”.

He added: “The Premier has been in power for some six years and if this is how he feels he has fooled the people he talks about.”

Quinton Edness, a close ally of Sir John, told the House: “I had a meeting with young Blacks in Pembroke East, who thanked the Premier for highlighting this fact. They said the remark was not rash or a slur, but highlighted a problem we have in this country.”