Supporters and opponents of independence last night swapped accusations of scare tactics as the debate again centred on the issues of racial divisions and the cost of sovereignty.

One audience member at the meeting at Devonshire Rec said scare stories about the economy collapsing if the PLP were voted in had proved groundless and concerns over independence were equally without foundation.

He said the independence debate had gone on yet investment was still rolling into the island as could be seen by the mansions going up around the island.

He said: ?Why are you all trying to scare us all? We have to stop lying to each other.?

Jim Butterfield said opponents of independence were accused of using bogey-man tactics but the same scare tactics were used by supporters who claimed racism would live on unless the colonial system ended.

He said: ?It drives me nuts, I don?t see anyone with shackles on.?

He said prejudice worked both ways and he knew of a white student at Berkeley who was made to feel uncomfortable because of his colour. And he asked whether violent machete-wielding youths would all get off the wall and go to work as soon as independence was declared.

Mr Butterfield said he had invested millions in the country but now he was quietly withdrawing and that Government had threatened that he had to make 20 percent of his cement public or it would be closed.

Philip Ray said: ?Independence won?t solve racial problems, racism won?t go away with colonialism.? He said his work with children showed they didn?t have prejudice until they were taught it.

Patrick Dill, who described himself as being a privileged and white, said Bermuda needed to heal its divisions before it took on sovereignty.

?I don?t want to see Bermuda getting into a position where we have violent social unrest or economic issues because economic issues won?t only hit people like me. I cannot figure out a tangible reason for independence.?

Commissioner Michael Winfield said Bermuda would not solve its biggest problem ? that of racism ? by going independent and he said an independent commission based on the BIC model should be set up to tackle the subject in a non-partisan way. He said political parties should be kept apart from both the race and independence debate.

Ian Fulton raised the cost of foreign representation and wondered whether embassy duties could simply be contracted out to other nations.

However Sir Julian Hunte, who is heading the Special Committee of 24 (or SC-24), said although he understood the concern, independent nations did need to their own diplomatic representation but it could be done sparingly.

Sir Julian, who is from St. Lucia, said his nation?s ministry of external affairs had an annual budget of less than $6 million ? less than three percent of the national budget while the finance minister kept a sharp eye on spending.

?The fact you are independent doesn?t mean things go in willy nilly. There is accountability that is put in place.? He said every single expenditure had to be justified.

Commissioner Michael Winfield said it was very difficult to assess the financial effect of independence but he didn?t believed it would make a huge difference one way or another.

He said fears over investments being withdrawn had nothing to do with independence and Government could now, if it chose, bring in 50 percent income taxes.

Papua New Guinea representative Jimmy Ure Ovia said Bermuda was well prepared to go independent and that his nation had managed it in 1964 despite its five million countrymen speaking 850 languages.

Long term resident Stewart Mott said he wondered what would happen to people like him who were disenfranchised despite spending a large part of their lives in Bermuda.

And to those who questioned the cost of moving to independence he said: ?How much do we save if we don?t have to pay for Government House??

Answering the long-term residents question, BIC Commissioner Rolfe Commissiong said Britain had raised concerns about the creation of stateless persons and that steps would have to be taken.

One audience member wondered why Bermudians didn?t trust themselves to govern themselves.

?It?s up to us to make a decision on what we want. If we are not making a decision for ourselves we are just babies.?

Bob Smith said independence was inevitable and Bermuda had proved itself as a mature country. ?Why do we need Britain if we are already self sufficient??

Angus Lynn reminded the audience of the attacks made by the Government on the Auditor General when he had raised questions about the Berkeley project.

But he said as the Police Commissioner, Director of Public Prosecutions and Auditor General were all appointed by the Governor they didn?t have to worry about being fired if they investigated Government corruption.

Replying for BIC Michael Winfield the current constitution had checks and balances and so could a new one written by and for Bermudians. He said a Governor General could be created.

One audience member asked how the island would defend itself if it went independent.

BIC Commissioner Gary Phillips pointed out that although Britain?s membership of NATO currently gave Bermuda protection it came at a price.

He said: ?Whenever there has been a problem and Bermuda has needed defence support as in 1977 Britain sent support ? they also sent us a bill.?

Howard Saltus said he was disturbed by the lack of young people turning out for the meetings and he said in any other country talking about independence students would be leading the charge.

?You would find this hall really, really packed with young people, they are going to be the future. It alarms me to a great degree. I don?t see this type of enthusiasm coming from young folk.?