Europe could turn off the tap of wealth and prosperity that Bermuda has enjoyed through its offshore international business. In a new perspective placed on the Independence debate, residents have been asked to consider what might happen to Bermuda?s powerhouse international business economy if the country doesn?t break free from UK dependence.

Previous discussions have addressed concerns about international companies being wary of Bermuda untying itself from the UK, but equal attention should be given to the possible implications for Bermuda regarding tighter regulations within the European Union.

So says former union leader Derrick Burgess MP as he warned that the EU constitution will impact the UK and, by extension, her overseas dependencies.

Mr. Burgess was speaking to around 100 people who attended the Progressive Labour Party?s fifth public meeting to discuss Independence.

In the main hall of Francis Patton Primary School in Hamilton Parish, acting Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, Mr. Burgess and young PLP member David Chapman revealed why they believe the time has come for Bermuda to become an independent country.

Mr. Burgess referred to the new EU draft constitution, which is currently in a state of limbo having been rejected by Holland and France last year and been put on ice by seven of the other 25 EU countries including the UK.

It covers a range of issues such as tax harmonisation, customs and immigration.

Mr. Burgess said: ?If we remain a dependent territory and the proposed European constitution is adopted, the EU can confer certain benefits upon its members. In exchange for these benefits, the EU will expect reciprocity and certain obligations and responsibilities as well.

?One such reciprocal obligation is the requirement that each member agrees and signs on the principle of tax harmonisation of fiscal policies inclusive of customs and tariff regimes throughout and across the borders of member states.

?In the case of the UK, as a member state, this would include its overseas territories of which Bermuda is one.?

He said the UK, and by extension Bermuda, may be subjected to dictates and fiscal policies of the EU Directorate and Secretariat.

?These influences could have a very direct and potentially adverse and devastating effect on Bermuda?s local economy.

?The EU control could adversely affect our offshore financial sector, impair our ability to import goods and services from our non-European trading partners at competitive rates and thus adversely affect our balance of payments and national debt.

?All of these dire consequences could befall us simply as a direct result of being an overseas territory of the UK,? said Mr. Burgess.

He cautioned that the UK?s promise that while Bermudians can live, work and reside in UK and Europe there is no reciprocity obligation for UK residents to be allowed to do the same in Bermuda.

Mr. Burgess asked what guarantee would that promise be if overridden by a European constitution that speaks of ?the free movement of peoples, goods and services in and throughout member state?.

Mr. Burgess said one country or individual could cry foul and take the issue to the European Court of Justice or Human Rights in Strasbourg.

He said: ?Bermudians must ask ourselves the question ?Is it really worth it in the long run to hold onto a UK citizenship which has the great potential of taking us into a Eurocentric morass over which we have no control??.?

It was argued that displays of national pride by flag waving fans across the Island during this summer?s FIFA Football World Cup showed what passion and national identity meant.

Dr. Brown also noted the fervour created by the World Cup, the adopting of flags by Bermudians, the displaying of national flags on cars, bikes, building sites and even an Italian flag being raised beneath the Union Flag on the Front Street flag pole. ?It has created a paradox one could only see in Bermuda, because the feeling and emotion that moves football fans to tears or to don painted faces of a nation?s flag is precisely the emotion and feeling detractors of Independence for Bermuda say we should not allow to influence our minds,? he said.

The Deputy Premier said the only time Bermuda had come close to experiencing the same national focus and pride was in 1980 when Gina Swainson won the Miss World contest.

?For that brief period I saw in us what I had seen the world over ? national pride.?

He added: ?This debate is about not having to ask permission from the Governor to visit political leaders in Washington. This debate is about having real responsibility for law and order in this country and not being reduced to being the funding centre ? the bank ? for the Police service whilst the Commissioner reports to Langton Hill.

?This debate is about catching up to our cousins in the Caribbean who now have a generation of their citizens who know only native sons and daughters as their Governors-General.?

And Dr. Brown said the ?kiss of death? in Bermuda is the cry: ?We need to be educated about it.?

He said: ?More has been said, printed and discussed on Independence than any other subject in this country in the last decade.?

Event organiser and PLP Senator Walter Roban, was delighted by the high turnout and said: ?This is the best event of the series. We have had the same format at each one but I felt here there was more energy. There were more people yes, numbers is one thing, but the energy here was so different.?

Sen. Roban said the intention was to have a new series of meetings, possibly in a different format and with different participants, to continue the discussion on Independence.