The United Kingdom and its colonies have entered a new era with Whitehall seeking to “change the model short of self determination”, Premier Paula Cox said yesterday.But Government’s submission to the UK on relationships with the Overseas Territories contains a question about full sovereignty.“If Bermuda became independent, would the UK undertake not to revoke British passports held by Bermudians?” asks point 45 of the 53 point submission.At a media briefing to discuss Government’s submission on the Overseas Territories relationship with the UK, the Premier waxed positive about what she said was an improving relationship between the OTs and the UK Government.“What you’ve seen by the coalition government is very much what you hear from President (Barack) Obama. He talks about the era of engagement,” Premier Cox said.“And it’s an interesting turning on its heels what has been the relationship even under a Labour government.“Here you have a coalition government which seems to have a very high level of interest in trying to actually talk to the Overseas Territories in a way that conveys and suggests a real interest in trying to change the model short of self determination.”The Premier explained that meetings with the British Government had demonstrated a “real interest in trying to show that we can have a relationship that doesn’t have to be them and us. So this is part of that continuing conversation.”But while Government’s submission pushes for more autonomy, a central bank and representation in global organisations almost like an independent country it is also seeking benefits from the UK in terms of technical assistance and functional cooperation.“The current position is that we are an Overseas Territory and as such there is an administering power and the administering power is the UK,” the Premier said.“In the confines of being a colony then certainly we are indicating there are areas where there can be assistance to provide and we’re certainly not asking for funding assistance.“And that is the nature of the special relationship that the people of Bermuda at this time have opted to be in.”She said that while she was Leader of a party that supported Independence for Bermuda, she was “very clear” that the Island is an Overseas Territory of Britain.“But that (Independence) is not yet the position that the people of Bermuda are in.”And she noted that Bermuda enjoyed a “much more mature and developed constitution” than the other OTs, some of which have the Governor sitting in Cabinet and having the final say on key posts and Cabinet decisions.The Premier explained that Bermuda is often asked to take the lead in meetings between the colonies and the UK as it is seen as different and “more immune from any sort of retaliatory action or any sort of punitive action”.“It doesn’t change the fact that we are still an Overseas Territory but we do have a more developed constitution”.The submission’s only direct reference to a sovereign Bermuda is the question on whether the UK would give an undertaking not to revoke British passports held by Bermudians in an independent Bermuda.The Premier was asked whether there had been any other instances in which the scenario of Independence had been raised.“Independence is a separate issue and on Independence the government does not operate by stealth,” she said.“So to be honest, we don’t have the legitimate authority to try and take Bermuda Independent without the people’s buy-in.”After the briefing this newspaper posed a few follow up questions by e-mail, including one seeking the rationale for including the question referencing a sovereign Bermuda.But Acting Director of the Department of Communication and Information Dwayne Caines said there would be no further comment “at this time”.The Premier did elaborate on the rationale for seeking a Central Bank for Bermuda during the briefing.Currently, she said, the lender of last resort is the Government of Bermuda.“That’s why when we had a situation with one of our local financing institutions we had the government give that $200 million guarantee,” she said.“I think that every country is looking at where they can be more protectionist of their taxpayer and also not being held accountable for the faults or the excesses of others.“For Bermuda it’s a coming of age to at least have those discussions. And also look at what are our options. It could be in Europe, it could be in the US but it is a reserve, separate, over and above of what we have.”