Labour leader Derrick Burgess yesterday accused The Royal Gazette of treating black people differently in its editorial policies.

Mr. Burgess said he took "great exception" to what he claimed was a "racist statement" made by David Ezekiel, the chairman of the Association of Bermuda International Companies in yesterday's newspaper in an article about guest workers.

In the story Mr. Ezekiel responded positively to a call by Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister for roundtable talks on managing growth and immigration, and the Minister's suggestion that work permits be given to groups already represented on the Island.

He argued that the international sector was limited as to where they recruited from because of the need for specialist skills, adding: "Where's there's an opportunity for less specialist skills we have the opportunity to go to the islands. That's an opportunity which should be taken."

That, claimed Mr. Burgess, was a racist statement which would not have been reported on without comment by The Royal Gazette had a black person voiced similar sentiments.

"When I said something on the auditor they said Derrick Burgess was calling the auditor a racist. And Derrick Burgess did not call the auditor a racist," Mr. Burgess said.

"I would like to say that I don't have a problem with people taking an opinion on what I have said... Now this fellow makes this blatant racist statement about people in the Caribbean. And they haven't labelled David Ezekiel a racist when he says `if you want people with less specialist skills then you can go to the islands to get them'. "I guess what he's saying is that there are no intellectuals in the islands. And who are the majority of the islands - people that look like you and I. Now that is a racist statement.

"Don't get me wrong I said that is a racist statement. I didn't say David Ezekiel was a racist. I take great exception to that statement."

He added: "It appears to me that the RG has two standards - one for people of African descent and one for the others."

Mr. Ezekiel could not be contacted for comment last night.

Royal Gazette Editor Bill Zuill said last night: "I am not sure that is my place to interpret what Mr. Ezekiel said but I must admit my interpretation is quite different. What I think Mr. Ezekiel was saying was that international companies must recruit from business centres with specialist skills in areas such as reinsurance and mutual fund management. I think he was arguing that there are not that many people with those particular skills in the Caribbean.

"I did not see it as him saying that all people from the Caribbean are unqualified.

As for the rest of Mr. Burgess' complaint about our coverage of his disagreement with the Auditor General, I think that is a subject that has been completely exhausted and I am not prepared to keep going over the same ground again and again. We stand by our coverage."