stamps commemorating Bermuda's gombeys.

Mr. Graeme Outerbridge has been campaigning for more than seven years to have stamps issued depicting the gombeys.

And Mr. Outerbridge blasted the first commemorative issue of 1993, by the Bermuda Philatelic Bureau, showing the posters of Adolph Treidler who produced posters, brochures and postcards for visitors during the 1930s.

He has been stung by recent comments made in the House of Assembly by Minister of Finance the Hon. David Saul. Dr. Saul said that the stamps had to look good, interest Bermudians, advertise the Island and be profitable.

He did not name Mr. Outerbridge but said that he had "taken it upon himself'' to design five gombey stamps. He said the committee, which makes the final decision, beleived one stamp as part of a series on the Island's culture would be good but but a whole series would not be sensible or saleable.

But Mr. Outerbridge said: "He is saying that Black Bermudian culture is not as saleable as the recent issue of pure bred dogs.

"The latest tourism issue is from a time when blacks were seen and not heard and Jews were not allowed on the Island.

"If you look at the posters there are no blacks. It should be called Bermuda's racism issue. ... it gives the impression that the majority of people in Bermuda are white.'' Mr. Outerbridge also responded to criticisms the gombeys did not really represent Bermudian culture as they were "imported'' to the Island.

But, he said: "A lot of things have been imported to the Island, like pure-bred dogs. The gombeys are recognised as part of the black culture of Bermuda.''