Premier Ewart Brown claimed "it's a lie" that Zane DeSilva and Dennis Correia get all the Government contracts.

Dr. Brown told Monday night's media round-table "hundreds and hundreds" of young black entrepreneurs have received contracts as he ralied against claims he's failed on black empowerment.

Many Progressive Labour Party figures have criticised the Premier for handing contracts to white companies owned by Minister DeSilva or Mr. Correia, while blacks struggle to find construction work.

Asked by ZBM why black enterprise has not taken off during his tenure, the Premier told a lengthy story of how his wife's car was fixed by a black man who started his business under Dr. Brown's watch.

"I think that is one of the most unfair things people can say," said Dr. Brown.

"When I ran for leader of the Progressive Labour Party, I brought people here and I purposely paraded out over 25 young black people who had contracts for services that black people never had contracts in the past. These are all young black entrepreneurs. Minister Burgess does the same thing in Works and Engineering.

So anybody who accuses us is not being honest. And those people who made up this story, that's what I mean by demonisation. That Zane DeSilva and Dennis Correia got all the Government contracts: it's a lie. There's no other way I can characterise it.

"Dennis Correia does a kind of construction that nobody else in Bermuda does, at least does as well as he does, his competitors agree. And that's how he got those contracts.

"You don't get contracts through my office anyway. Those contracts go through Works and Engineering but these happen to be two companies that have received contracts and there are hundreds and hundreds of young black entrepreneurs who've received contracts."

ZBM replied: "We are yet to see a black construction company rival the likes of Mr DeSilva and Mr. Correia."

The Premier said: "It's not the job of the Government to form a company. They have had opportunities. You can speak to Mr. Durham at building blocks."