A white expert's analysis that Bermuda, like the US, is still a "white supremacist society" is not a new notion but resonates more when a white person expresses it.

That is the view of Rolfe Commissiong, consultant to the Premier, who was responding to Professor Robert Jensen's critique of perceived white supremacy in Bermuda in an article this week.

Mr. Commission went on to credit The Royal Gazette for publishing the story.

He added: "Anytime you see the two words, 'white supremacist' appearing in any Bermudian newspaper, especially in The Royal Gazette, we've had a good day.

"If there was nothing else in the paper, just a headline saying 'white supremacy; alive and well in Bermuda', we have had a good day."

In the story in The Royal Gazette, Prof. Jensen described the propensity of some white Bermudians as being "committed to white supremacy."

"Is Bermuda a white-supremacist society?" he reflected.

"That's obviously a more complex question in a country with a black majority and a black-led government, the distribution of wealth remains racialised, however," said Prof. Jensen.

"What Prof. Jensen is telling people like myself is nothing new," Mr. Commissiong reacted. "It does resonate quite differently when it comes from a member of the privileged group — in this case a white male."

Prof. Jensen also articulated that blacks, in his belief, couldn't be racist, as the term 'racism' has been historically connected to power, privilege and the ability to affect someone's life.

A highly-regarded professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, Prof. Jensen was contacted by Premier Ewart Brown in 2006, to take part in the Bermuda Race Relations Initiative (BRRI), after Dr. Brown read some of his publications online.

Mr. Commissiong further explained: "While blacks do have the capacity to practise racism, historically, they have not done so.

"Even in those locations where blacks have taken on the mantle of power, internationally, where the society has been dominated by Europeans, blacks have not exercised racism.

"And, those that believe the mere discussion of race in Bermuda, is only used to 'stir up trouble' or for political gains, my response to that is, 'the worst racists are the ones that deny its existence, as someone once quipped."

When asked what alternatives to the BRRI, being held monthly until November, Government had planned, legislation is on the table Mr. Commissiong said: "There are some legislative changes afoot coming out of the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality (CURE) and the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs, with respect to workplace equality.

"That will be tabled at the next Parliamentary session, I'm sure.

"The Empowerment initiatives coming via the Minister of Finance, Paula Cox and a host of other legislative proposals are coming.

"Right now, we are working on the platform for the next BRRI that will happen in September — it will focus on education and the panel discussion is 'Race in Education: Securing the Future' — more details will be released shortly."