"The fact of the matter is that you and I know that if statements of that sort of strength had been made by a white person against a black person in Bermuda, action would have been taken. Strong statements would have been made by Government. If I had done it everybody would be down my neck."

So said United Bermuda Party MP Trevor Moniz in Friday's Royal Gazette in reaction to the Human Rights Commission's announcement that Auditor General Larry Dennis did not have a legitimate complaint under the Human Rights Act against Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess.

Mr. Dennis lodged his complaint last year after Mr. Burgess suggested that his thorough investigation of the Berkeley construction project was motivated by the fact that black owned companies were involved.

Mr. Burgess, whose union has business links with the project, publicly suggested that Mr. Dennis "shares the all too common belief that people of African descent are illiterate and chained in darkness."

Since then, Mr. Burgess has steadfastly denied he called a Mr. Dennis a racist. The public can make up its own mind.

Still, the Human Rights Commission may be correct in stating that there is no case under the Act. And if Mr. Dennis believes his reputation has been damaged, he is, as the HRC said, free to pursue the matter in the courts, where he might well have a strong libel case and could seek a remedy there.

But Mr. Moniz has raised a broader issue.

Given the Island's history of slavery and segregation, it is not surprising that black Bermudians are quick to look for racial motivation in any issue. And given the repugnance that all feel about racism, whites become defensive very quickly when the question is raised.

But just as a racist action - whether it is harassment, discrimination or incitement - is repugnant and should be condemned and dealt with, so should false accusations of racism, because there is no more damaging accusation that can be made in this community. They are two sides of the same coin and if the community is ever going to move beyond racial division, both must be eliminated.

On that basis, it is astonishing that all the HRC can say - even assuming that it is correct on its legal position - about Mr. Burgess' remarks is that they were "unpleasant".

And it is even more remarkable that this is the only official statement that has been made about this affair. The Commission for Unity and Racial Equality has been conspicuous in its silence. The Minister responsible for both the HRC and CURE, Randy Horton, has said nothing. Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb, who is very quick to criticise other racist acts, has been silent. In these circumstances, silence must be taken to denote agreement.

And that says volumes about the state of race relations in Bermuda.