Race relations consultant Rolfe Commissiong has refused to comment on claims he told a member of Bermuda Democratic Alliance he "sounded like a house nigger".

Dueane Dill alleges that Mr. Commissiong used the insult during a "tirade" at the Olympic Club gym in Hamilton on February 20 — and he says it wasn't the first time.

The 47-year-old said he has previously let such slurs go from Mr. Commissiong but felt he could no longer do that, having joined a party which opposes racial divisiveness.

Mr. Dill, in a guest column on page four of today's newspaper, writes: "I felt I could not sit idly by, particularly when this very same person has been appointed by the Government, and is being paid with taxpayer money, to head up race relations.

"I mean, the very man charged with promoting unity between all the Island's races called me a 'house nigger'. Do we see a problem here?"

Mr. Commissiong would not speak directly to The Royal Gazette about the allegation but sent this response in an e-mail: "I have no comment... those comments were private between him and me."

Mr. Dill, who works in insurance management, told this newspaper: "I have known Rolfe for years and we have had numerous conversations. They tend to start as conversations and end up being an argument.

"The point where it turns into an argument is the point where he plays the race card. Not everything comes down to black and white."

Father-of-three Mr. Dill claimed Mr. Commissiong began his rant by suggesting most black members of the BDA were trying to push away their "blackness".

"I respectfully disagreed, but his tirade continued," Mr. Dill writes in his column.

"I was informed that the Alliance would never win the black vote, at which point I requested that the conversation end."

He said Mr. Commissiong accused him of forgetting his people, to which he responded: "My people are Bermudians. Period." He claimed Mr. Commissiong then told him: "You sound like a house nigger."

The phrase "house nigger" is typically used to refer to a black person who is seen to have disowned their racial identity by trying to please white people.

The Human Rights Commission declared the term "insulting" but not racist after Senator David Burch used it to describe a caller on his radio show. The Broadcasting Commission said it was "reprehensible".

Mr. Dill, of St. George's, said: "He [Mr. Commissiong] has referred to me as an Uncle Tom before.

"In the past, I just sort of walked away but I think if people allow this to happen and don't do anything about it, it will continue to happen.

"It got me annoyed initially but then on top of that he's getting paid $170,000 [over an 18-month period] to unite the races. Is that money well spent? I would say it isn't."

BDA leader Craig Cannonier said Mr. Commissiong ought to be disciplined for his remarks. "Bermuda is tired," said Mr. Cannonier. "We are tired of the same old rhetoric that has been going on and has been allowed to pervade this country for years now.

"I'm shocked that in 2010 we find people in Bermuda referring to each other in such derogatory terms. It's crazy, especially if it's a race relations consultant saying it."

Mr. Dill received two telephone calls from Mr. Commissiong after this newspaper contacted the $104,000-a-year Government consultant.

Mr. Dill said during the first conversation, Mr. Commissiong stood by his comments, but in the second, he denied likening Mr. Dill to a house nigger.

An Olympic club member, who asked not to be identified, said: "I was here at the gym. He called him a house nigger. I found it kind of uneasy to call another person that."

Olympic owner Scott Stallard said no one complained about the incident but a gym member mentioned to him that he overheard the remark. Another gym regular said of Mr. Commissiong: "He is always having run-ins with people at this gym. He is not well-liked."