Opposition leader Kim Swan has called for Cabinet Minister Walter Roban to apologise for telling a white voter he did not correspond with "racists and bigots" and that she should not contact him again.

Mr. Swan said comments made by the new Minister without Portfolio in two e-mails to taxpayer Claire Smith, after she sent a message to all PLP MPs complaining about the Premier, were appalling.

The Voters' Rights Association (VRA) also denounced Mr. Roban's "divisive response", claiming it highlighted the need for a code of conduct for MPs.

But the PLP claimed last night that Ms Smith appeared to "have a genetic predisposition or a socialisation experience that gives her an anti-PLP bias".

Party public relations officer Wentworth Christopher said she wrote to Mr. Roban of her own free will and that he responded likewise.

"The voter presumes to question the ethics of another," wrote Mr. Christopher in a letter to the editor, which can be read in full on Page 4. "Is she above reproach?"

Ms Smith's June 17 e-mail to MPs was highly critical of Premier Ewart Brown following his decision to bring four former Guantánamo Bay prisoners here without the UK's permission.

The Warwick businesswoman, 51, said he needed to go due to "his dictatorial leadership style, his grandiose spending, his questionable ethics, his inflated ego, his lack of transparency, his stirring up of racial hatred".

Mr. Roban, in a message sent several days before he was appointed to the Cabinet by Dr. Brown, replied that Ms Smith was clearly part of "the uncontrolled mob" which marched against the Premier on June 16.

"I ask that you refrain from sending e-mails to me," wrote the 42-year-old Pembroke East MP. "I do not correspond to racists or bigots masquerading as democrats. Goodbye."

Mr. Swan said: "There can't be many people in Bermuda who were not simply appalled by Minister Walter Roban's reported behaviour towards a concerned white voter since the House [of Assembly] demonstrations against the Premier's behaviour. "Bermuda is a democracy, and our leaders — especially our Cabinet Ministers — need to act like it."

The UBP leader said Ms Smith was entitled to express her opinion "just as freely as people who look like me and Mr Roban" and that democracies depended on such freedom of expression.

Mr. Swan said the PLP was trying to demonise those who marched against the Premier in order to escape the ramifications of the recent rallies and, in doing so, was demonising a large portion of voters.

He added: "As Ms Smith said, white people in Bermuda are beginning to feel disenfranchised and that is occurring because of the PLP's apparent determination to shut them out of the process.

"Politicians must understand that they serve a multiracial society and should represent that society even-handedly, with fear or favour towards none. Anyone who doesn't accept that shouldn't be a politician.

"I hope the newly appointed Minister, Mr. Roban, will have a rethink and apologise for his ill temper and discourteous behaviour."

VRA spokesman Stuart Hayward said: "The citizens of Bermuda have every right to expect exemplary conduct from those who accept positions of leadership in our community.

"With that in mind, it is shameful that a Cabinet Minister would treat the genuine concerns of a member of the public with such callous disdain. It is hard to imagine a more divisive response."

He said that no matter a person's race or ethnicity, they deserved to be treated with respect and cordiality, particularly by leaders whose conduct should be an example for young people to follow.

"With attitudes like this on display from our leaders, it is no wonder we are experiencing a breakdown of civil society," said Mr. Hayward.

"This incident highlights the need for a code of conduct to set standards of behaviour for elected leaders and to impose sanctions when accepted standards are breached."

Mr. Christopher said last night: "Racial hatred has never been on the PLP agenda. To the contrary, the party was formed by victims of racial hatred. We know first hand the pain that can be inflicted."

In his letter, he challenged Ms Smith to provide an example of white disenfranchisement under the current or previous PLP leaders.

"This is precisely the sort of rhetoric that exacerbates the racial divide that has existed here for almost 400 years. We should be healing."

Mr. Roban, who joined the Cabinet on June 23, did not respond to calls from this newspaper yesterday but said on Sunday: "You can see what I said and leave it there."

The Premier's press secretary said Dr. Brown was unlikely to comment on the row. We also contacted Cabinet Ministers and a number of PLP MPs to see if they received Ms Smith's e-mail.

Deputy Premier Paula Cox and Health Minister Nelson Bascome were the only ones to reply. Ms Cox said she could find no trace of Ms Smith's e-mail on her hard drive and wasn't sure she ever received it.

Mr. Bascome said: "I did not receive any e-mail from her. End of comments."