A short video on the Internet that became the centre of Island-wide controversy after entertainer Tony Brannon posted comments beneath it has been taken down by bosses at the popular YouTube website.

The video vanished from cyberspace only hours after Mr. Brannon added further comments to apologise for his earlier use of the phrase ?black Bermudians? when he had claimed that union tactics in the early 1980s damaged the Island?s tourism industry.

On Friday afternoon, five days after he had put his original remarks in the commentary section beneath the tourism video, he placed an apology on the website.

But the following morning, the video and all the comments had vanished, replaced by a message from California-based YouTube which stated: ?This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Bermuda Department of Tourism.?

YouTube is visited by millions of people around the world every day and is used as a place where people can upload short video clips for anyone to view and place comments on.

It is also a facility for placing a video on the Internet that can link to a person?s individual web-blog page, as appears to have been the case with the tourism video.

The German-based YouTube user who placed the video on the site last September expressed surprise the video was no longer available and also that it had attracted so many comments and such controversy.

Olli, whose YouTube identity is ?Postpunk?, said: ?I have no idea why it has been taken off. I was wondering anyway why so many comments have been made on this video. It?s an ordinary video from the Bermudian tourist information and I only released it on YouTube to use it on my holiday web-blog.?

The video clip featured Dr. Brown standing on a beach, introducing himself as Bermuda?s Tourism Minister, and then giving reasons why people should come to the Island for a vacation.

It appears to be a genuine Department of Tourism video that subsequently found its way to YouTube through Olli in Germany.

Mr. Brannon?s commentary about Bermuda tourism, and his use of the phrase ?black Bermudians? when claiming Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) tactics and attitude within the hotel and hospitality sector in the early 1980s had turned tourists off visiting the Island, sparked anger across Bermuda last week with radio chat show debates and MPs in the House of Assembly condemning Mr. Brannon?s comments.

As reported in Saturday?s , Mr. Brannon posted an apology on YouTube above his original remarks acknowledging that his use of the phrase ?black Bermudians? had been insensitive. However, he maintains his comments about alleged BIU tactics used a quarter-of-a-century ago have merit.

Current BIU president Chris Furbert has refuted the suggestions and last week called on Mr. Brannon to apologise.