AS is customary at year's end, I am going to look back in this Commentary at the events that dominated the news in 2005. In the Bermuda context, the leading news item for the year was actually something of a non-event. That might sound like a contradiction in terms but the fact is the much-ballyhooed Bermuda Independence Commission failed to ignite a real and substantive debate on the prospects of sovereignty.

BIC's comprehensive, 600-page report does not seem to have been read by very many Bermudians at all; and while the lobby group Bermudians For Referendum has certainly made the headlines, it has primarily been focusing on the means by which the island should approach Independence rather than the pros and cons of severing our remaining constitutional ties with the UK.

Frankly, though, I think Bermudians For Referendum is something of an anti-Independence wolf in a pro-plebiscite sheep's clothing. While it claims to want this critically important decision to be made directly by the people of Bermuda at a referendum rather than indirectly via a General Election, nevertheless I am convinced the real motive behind the formation of this group is to disseminate anti-Independence sentiments and viewpoints without coming out and officially saying so.

I am reminded how far we in Bermuda are behind other peoples and nations when it comes to the question of self-determination. While the polls in Bermuda would continue to suggest strong anti-Independence sentiment, I wish my countrymen would demonstrate some of the national spirit evinced in some former British territories.

Recently Barbados' Prime Minister Owen Arthur urged his countrymen to make their country a republic and remove the Queen as Head of State: "We must move to a new level of maturity as a nation," he implored them. Barbados was once known as "Little England", so beholden was the country to its colonial links and past.

But 39 years later an Independent Barbados is contemplating declaring itself a republic at a forthcoming referendum, in what could be the final step in cementing that country's status as a sovereign nation. Bermuda, of course, lags behind and has not even reached the point where it even looks upon itself as a nation, not in the true sense.

From time to time, though, Bermuda does manifest signs that you could interpret as nationalist impulses. This national pride tends to come out mainly when Bermuda does well in the realm of international sports.

And recently, as was perhaps best demonstrated when the Bank of Bermuda was taken over by the British banking conglomerate HSBC, there have been claims that Bermuda's unique personality is being rapidly lost to foreign financial interests. There were outpourings of national outrage when HSBC took over Trimingham's but these proved to be short-lived. Sadly, there once was a time in our history when Bermudians had a far more robust sense of self, when they had much greater confidence in themselves and their ability to manage their island's affairs.

For 200 years, Bermudians — white and black — sailed the seas together, depending on one another and their collective initiative to earn their keep. Going to sea on ships we built ourselves, Bermudians were bold and assertive in the 18th and 19th centuries; we had no other choice. The island was too small, its soil too poor, to flourish as a plantation economy.

So we had to make our own way in the world by following the sea. But our history is not well taught in Bermudian schools. So despite the fact Bermuda boasts that it is one of the richest countries in the world, the Bermudian of today lacks the sense of self-determination and confidence that he can hold his own in this world, that sense of worth our forebears had during an age when life was a lot tougher.

In the absence of a genuine debate on the question of Independence, we have instead become bogged down with arguments over which way is better to decide the question of Independence — through an election or a referendum.IT is interesting to me, as a long-time Independence supporter, that the Progressive Labour Party Government — which claims to be a champion of Bermudian sovereignty — has seemingly overlooked the fact that no country in the post-colonial era has ever attained national self-determination without political leadership expressly committed to that goal. Despite statements from certain PLP officials that would lead one to believe that Independence is the ambition of this Government, the Cabinet Office has yet to come out and state officially that this is the case.

In fact, it might be interesting to conduct a poll among PLP politicians to see how many really support the question of Bermudian Independence. Of course, maybe things will change at the upcoming meetings the Government has said it will hold based on the final report of the BIC; at that point, maybe Bermudians will see if the PLP is going to break out of its current passive state and become a real advocate for sovereignty.

Of course, the United Bermuda Party has also made no statements as to where the Opposition stands on the question of Independence. But given its political support base is overwhelmingly against the idea of Bermudian sovereignty, one can expect that whatever position the UBP political leadership finally decides on will reflect that anti-Independence sentiment.

Both political parties, in a sense, are in the same boat when it comes to the question of Bermudian Independence. Both are aware of the political ramifications of the stances they have adopted on Independence, although with regard to the PLP there is probably greater support in its political support base for the idea of an Independent Bermuda than might currently be reflected in the opinion polls.

If and when a real debate does take place on Independence, it must quickly deal with what I call the "Big Lie" as regards the suggestion that Bermudians now have the run of Europe thanks to their British passports. I don't think that will ever apply to Bermudians who look like me. AS a black Bermudian, I have no faith that Britain or Europe is ever going to uphold my rights. I don't need race riots in France or a black Archbishop in Britain who gets hate mail to convince me of that fact or, for that matter, the lynching of black males in Britain from time to time to make me aware of where I, a person of colour, will stand.Europe appears extremely ill at ease embracing the idea of multi-culturalism. Yes, there are some black Bermudians living and working in Britian and Europe but I would ask where is the biggest Bermudian expatriate community living? I contend that you will find most Bermudians who live overseas living in the Western Hemisphere in America, Canada and even in the West Indies.

It is in this region that Bermudians are likely to have family ties; it is in this region that Bermudians are likely to own houses and businesses. That is why I will continue to state that Bermuda's destiny lies in the Western Hemisphere and not in Europe or Britain.

If there is going to be a real debate on the question of Bermudian Independence in 2006, then I hope it happens sooner rather than later because we have already wasted too much time talking around this issue rather than addressing it.