It was standing room only last night, as Bermudians began filling the 160 or so seats in Government House 40 minutes before the meeting began.

Governor Thorold Masefield assured the audience the Foreign and Commonwealth Office team of deputy legal advisor Ian Hendry and FCO Bermuda representative Caroline Rowett would listen to their views.

The first speaker, who did not give his name, asked who could object to the principle of one man, one vote of equal value.

"It's about human rights and moral rights and I can't understand why we're discussing something that's so straightforward,'' he said. "We've embarrassed ourselves as Bermudians when we say how educated we are and we can't deal with one man, one vote of equal value.'' Sheila Robertson said there was a "strong consensus'' to make constituency seats fairer because it was "basic to democracy''.

Neither the Progressive Labour Party nor the United Bermuda Party had defined how many seats they wished so it should be left to a Boundaries Commission to decide.

Joan Lindo claimed the Island was moving towards a dictatorship and everyone wanted a referendum on the changes.

Muriel Archer said reducing the number of MPs was the "beginning of a form of ethnic cleansing. I won't explain the whole lot without going on for three quarters of an hour but we all know what it means.

"Bermuda must live in unity in spite of our diversity of race and culture, otherwise we'll all commit suicide and there will be no more beautiful Bermuda.'' David Sullivan said one man one vote of equal value could not be achieved because the data was flawed as 4,000 households representing 8,000 voters were missing and the Census was still underway.

Government Sen. Calvin Smith, a former staistician, said although it was not accurate it was impossible to get it accurate, but Bermuda should still ascribe to the principle of votes of equal value.

Raymond Davis said he did not see the need to go through this exercise because constituencies based on parish boundaries gave a sense of identity.

Bermuda should look at the entire Constitution and review it every seven years as long as the Island remained a dependent territory, he said.

Diane Williams won applause when she said: "We're all dancing around technicalities. We're all here to ask for a referendum.'' An unnamed speaker complained that the changes will be made and that Government Sen. David Burch had said "We don't care what you think''.

"I would like to be an individual that can have a point of view and take part in a debate without rancour and swap ideas and perhaps improve my own.

"I would like to have a series of debates held in good fellowship and express my views without being called a limey, a racist or a Yank, except `Mr.

O'Leary, thank you for your input'.'' Ronnie Viera said the real issue was the process of determining the number of seats, and "my suspicion is the die is cast.'' Bermuda was not over-governed and he did not share the Governor's confidence that the process was transparent. "We did not know the (FCO) representatives were coming here until last week.

"I further find it a joke that meetings are held in Government House with 24 hours notice. This process (shows) the new Bermuda is not as open and transparent as we're being told.'' Former UBP Cabinet minister DeForest Trimingham said the "vast majority of Bermudians, certainly 40 percent that voted UBP, are frightened to death at the lack of transparency of the present Government.

"If the UK government is interested in what's happening in this colony which they consider affluent and educated, if they thought that seriously, (Overseas Territories Minister) Baroness Scotland should have been here and (FCO Overseas Territories head) John White should not have left yesterday.'' An unnamed speaker said: "If we don't have a referendum, we'll see a reduced number of MPs (creating) a dictatorship under the Premier who will have total power.'' Sen. Smith angrily rejected the idea, saying black people had always respected the rule of law, even under slavery.

Dr. Yvette Swan suggested he look up the meaning of dictatorship. She complained about the Premier insulting her at public meetings and claimed people were afraid to speak out.

But Adib Abdul-Jabbar said people were scaremongering because they were afraid of change and suggested they work together with Government.

James Watlington said: "What we fear is the direction towards a gradual depreciation of the institutions and freedom we enjoy.'' He attacked Sen. Smith for saying some inaccuracy was acceptable and said people were "afraid'' when Attorney General Lois Browne Evans criticised lawyers who brought the Thyssen case to Bermuda.

"We are concerned about the general level of xenophobia that's part of the rhetoric of the current Government. Part of the fear of constitutional changes is that although they are cloaked in high-minded ideals, they may be supported by baser motives.'' Stanley Trott said the UBP agreed to one man one vote of equal value, so why was the FCO here? The FCO should be concerned with ensuring failsafe ways of drawing up the new boundaries and find the right method for so doing.

The Governor said he was "a little disappointed when people say there is a lack of transparency. The FCO is clearly out to hear your views.'' There had been delegations to see them, letters, and the FCO had viewed videos of the debate in the House of Assembly.

"Contrast it if there was a constitutional conference. Then there would just be representatives of two political parties who would have gone through closed doors and come out with a done deal. This is infinitely more transparent,'' said the Governor.

"There is a certain frustration in the FCO that when they are asked for greater transparency, they can't get to the detail. What is it that Bermudians want? A referendum is a process, but what would the process be on?'' The next speaker called on Government to come back to the people through referendum to reaffirm the changes.

Former UBP Sen. Bob Richards said everyone agreed with the principle of votes of equal value but a "referendum is the ultimate application of that principle. If any change is to take place the process is important. If the process is tainted, the outcome will be tainted.'' He said the human rights of long-term residents who had been here as long as 30 years and had Bermudian children, but could not vote, would have to be addressed in the Constitution.

Dwayne Santucci said he voted PLP because he wanted change but the PLP was "arrogant and didn't care for the people''.

"We've a Government of 20 or 40 people, yet the country is run by two people.

As a young black Bermudian I voted PLP because I wanted change, and I see not change, but a country that's headed towards dictatorship.

"Don't wait until it has happened and it has got too far into the area of dictatorship. We voted them in and we're not going to vote them out -- we're going to throw them out.'' But PLP supporter George Basden said everything had to be put into the perspective that this was making the Island more democratic. The other things raised had no place in the discussion.

"One thing we're losing in this debate is that it was in the election platform of the PLP. I'm 57 and when I hear talk of dictatorship, what's gone on in this country in my lifetime borders on dictatorship. Let's go forward and stop this nonsense about dictatorship.'' FCO deputy legal advisor Ian Hendry said the process was transparent.

He said he suspected the majority of Bermudians favoured the principle of single-member constituencies.

"My estimate is that the substance is the key issue is the reduction of the number of MPs and the consequence it could have for the executive branch of Government,'' he said. "That's a fair matter and a concern we've discussed with the political parties.

"The question is also how many members will be determined and we are aware of that and there are various ways of arriving at that.

"One thing I find difficult to understand is the comments made about what the proposals regarding what the constituencies are all about. There was a White Paper produced (by Government) that set out the proposals... that's why sitting in London it was clear from August last year what the proposal was about.''