Activist Myron Piper is backing Bermuda Democratic Alliance to succeed where he believes the Progressive Labour Party has failed — by empowering black people.

Mr. Piper, a builder and entrepreneur planning to run for the BDA at the next General Election, says the PLP has let down blacks in the construction industry by allowing whites to keep getting the best contracts.

And he says that while the PLP has not lived up to its roots of black empowerment, the United Bermuda Party is no better because it has avoiding open and honest discussion on the issue.

"Past members like Freddie Wade and Lois Browne-Evans would actually be disappointed in the state of the PLP today," said Mr. Piper, a former active member of both established parties. "Most of them fought for the rights of blacks to their own personal detriment. Their lives exemplified their commitment to advancing opportunities for blacks.

"I look at my own field in construction. The majority of black contractors are struggling while the larger firms are excelling. When you look at the Portuguese and white counterparts, small contractors are doing quite well where the black contractors are suffering. Some of that is down to social issues on things that we seem to have with our own people. A lot of it is institutionalised. You look at the majority of architectural firms. They are white owned and operated.

"In life we all benefit from our alliances to people that we know. White contractors get opportunities to bid and have access to jobs that blacks wouldn't have.

"To tackle these problems we each have to take responsibility. We have to make certain jobs accessible to blacks."

Mr. Piper said economic empowerment of blacks would help level the playing field, given that the majority of Bermuda is owned by a very small group of whites. He said the PLP should have united some of the smaller black contractors to encourage their growth and help them compete for contracts.

He added: "We need to deal with black empowerment in order to begin the social stratification between blacks and whites in Bermuda. I think the BDA is the best posed to deal with that. While the BDA won't use racism to polarise the races, they won't walk away from any issues affecting race in general, black or white."

Mr. Piper says one of the keys to empowering blacks is through education, and he has tried to make a change by forming the Bermuda Educational Parents' Association. His background in politics was initially with the UBP as deputy chair of the West Warwick branch, although he complained his voice was often overlooked, before he joined the PLP about five years ago. He was nominated as a possible PLP candidate for St. David's, where he now owns Lighthouse Grill restaurant, but pulled out of the running because "things happened in the party that I wasn't satisfied with".

At the next election, he hopes to represent the BDA in that marginal seat. "I would want to represent the people of St. David's best on merit," he said. "What the Bermuda public needs to appreciate is the power of their vote. A lot of people choose not to vote at all rather than express their displeasure by voting. We need to teach the Bermudian public people that they need to vote based on merit.

"They need to go and vote for those people who appreciate the fact that they are there to serve the community not themselves."

• See tomorrow's Royal Gazette for education activist Mr. Piper's ideas for improving Bermuda's schools.