Veteran journalist Bryan Darby says Bermuda will benefit more in racial awareness from small conversations instead of 'wasting time' on the Big Conversation.

Speaking yesterday morning at the Pembroke Rotary Club, Mr. Darby spoke about his experiences with integration over the past few decades working on the Island as a journalist.

He recently retired and plans to leave the Island to live in Canada.

At the beginning of his speech, Mr. Darby said: "I have always believed that working journalists, like children and politicians, should be seen but not heard.

"However, upon retirement, it seems appropriate for a member for the much maligned fourth estate to be allowed to blow off a little steam, and that is what I am here today to do."

Mr. Darby said he has been a journalist on the Island reporting "the good, the bad and the ugly" for almost 50 years.

He explained he had been quietly working at integrating the Island out of a sense of decency with blacks and whites alike.

In the speech, the former journalist told a story about receiving a call in the newsroom of The Royal Gazette from then-Government Leader Sir Henry Tucker asking him if he would help him integrate Bermuda.

Mr. Darby told Rotarians that Sir Henry said he had heard of Mr. Darby's dismay at the level of segregation in Bermuda and wanted his help.

"I said: 'Sir Henry, I'm just a Johnny come lately. I have no stake in Bermuda.

"What about the young sons and daughters of the leading Bermuda families. Wouldn't they be more appropriate?"

He said the Governor explained he had tried the locals but they didn't seem interested as they felt they had too much to lose.

However, Mr. Darby said he got a group of locals on board who were interested in integrating the Island.

The group succeeded in integrating the Junior Chamber of Commerce with the first black member being Sir John Swan, the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society with Dr. Stanley Ratteray, the Bermuda Arts Society with Charles Lloyd Tucker and many more.

He said he made many enemies and is still blackballed from the membership of one of the clubs that was integrated.

"We got a very real sense of accomplishment as well and made a lot of friends in the bargain.

"I moved onto the Tourism Department's News Bureau shortly after and as a civil servant lost some of my crusading zeal, but doors has been opened that would never be closed again," he said.

Mr. Darby told another story about black Bermudians who tried to create a bank that would help the black community only to discover the company, Bermuda Provident Investments and Holdings, was bankrupt and shareholders would lose their initial investment and another amount of money called a double indemnity clause.

When he got back to the office, he sais he was told by then editor of this newspaper, the late Eric Hopwood: "Not interested. Black people should know better than to try and run a bank."

He said he took the documents to the office of thenPremier and Minister of Finance, Sir John Sharpe, who told him there was not much he could do.

Eventually, Government did step in and helped Provident sell the company's assests enabling shareholders to avoid the double indemnity clause.

Closing his speech, Mr. Darby told Rotarians: "All of which I offer as the reason why I personally think the big conversation is a waste of time and energy, I would like to see Bermuda concentrate on the 'small conversations' most of us have been having with people of other races for much of our lives."

He continued: "I shall treasure my biracial friendships until the day I die and wherever life takes me now, I will always be grateful to the golden people of Bermuda opening their hearts and minds to me on a one-to-one basis."

What do you think? E-mail mpearman@royalgazette.bm with a comment.