Backbencher Terry Lister called for race consultant Rolfe Commissiong to be fired in the wake of his insulting remarks about Progressive Labour Party colleague Ashfield DeVent.

Mr. Lister and Culture Minister Dale Butler both spoke out at last week's PLP caucus meeting, shortly after Mr. Commissiong derided Mr. DeVent in a statement in The Royal Gazette.

A large number of MPs are said to be angry that Government consultant Mr. Commissiong — paid $104,000 a year as a race advisor to Premer Ewart Brown — tried to humiliate an elected Member of Parliament.

Dr. Brown reacted by telling the group he had put out a statement admonishing the Big Conversation boss for speaking out of turn, which should be the end of the matter.

Several caucus members told this newspaper they believed Mr. Lister and Mr. Butler were merely reflecting the views of many of their colleagues.

One described Mr. Commissiong's comments as "vicious, belittling and downgrading", adding: "Ashfield was not present at the meeting but we all know he is very concerned."

That member backed up Mr. DeVent's claim that Mr. Commissiong is targeting his Pembroke South East seat, and called a meeting while the sitting MP was off the Island.

The row between the pair heated up early last week when Mr. DeVent suggested Mr. Commissiong has adopted a frightening stance by blaming all Bermuda's problems on racism. Mr. DeVent argued young black men need to stop looking for excuses for their bad behaviour.

Mr. Commissiong reacted in Wednesday's newspaper by stating people perceive Mr. DeVent as "a little slow" and "an invisible MP".

According to multiple sources, at that evening's caucus Mr. Butler suggested Mr. Commissiong be brought into party headquarters to face action; and Mr. Lister said Mr. Commissiong should be sacked. Both backbenchers declined to comment yesterday, while Mr. Commissiong did not respond to a request for a comment.

Mr. DeVent — who was off the Island last week — has previously questioned whether Mr. Commissiong had gone on the attack in a personal capacity, or as a Government consultant.

"You don't normally find consultants speaking publicly and, particularly, attacking Members of Parliament," he has said.

Dr. Brown's statement, published in Thursday's Royal Gazette, said: "I am confident that the next time the public hears from Mr. Commissiong on this subject it will not be in an exchange with MP DeVent."

Mr. Commissiong faced further controversy two months ago, when he was accused of calling Bermuda Democratic Alliance member Dueane Dill a "house nigger" in a Hamilton gym. Mr. Commissiong denies that allegation.