With just two weeks to go before the Governor's deadline for submissions on how the country should go about changing the Constitution in the future, none of the Island's political parties have sent in their recommendations, and there are some indications that the deadline could be further extended.

But lobby group the Association for Due Process and the Constitution, which argued strongly that the Constitution should not be changed without a Constitutional conference, has recommended new procedures for the future.

Both political parties said, however, that work on their submissions is underway and they intend to make them public when completed.

Opposition United Bermuda Party Leader Grant Gibbons said “consultations” were still taking place within his party. “It's too early to say what our recommendations will be, although there are a number of thoughts and proposals that have been put forward in the past,” he said.

And Progressive Labour Party spokesman Scott Simmons said, while discussions are ongoing, the party is still on target to meet the new deadline.

“The party is clear on our Government's recommendations and feel the submissions are as open as they are instructive. After our consultation, it is understandable that our position will mirror that of the Government and above all saw the process as precarious but obviously inclusive,” said Mr. Simmons.

Governor Sir John Vereker said yesterday that most of the submissions received so far were from individuals, and that lobby group, the Association for Due Process and the Constitution was probably the only organisation to send in a submission.

Sir John extended the deadline an extra month at the request of both the Government and the Opposition.

“We're getting less than a stream,” he said this week. “We're getting occasional contributions.”

He added that many of the submissions had been “thoughtful”.

“Some of them have actually addressed the question.”

More submissions are expected to flow in however.

“What I'm going to say is the way to go is not through an election but a plebiscite,” said Graeme Outerbridge, spokesman for the National Liberal Party spokesperson.

“It's the kind of thing that needs full participation of the people of Bermuda rather than it being a platform position in an election.”

The Constitution was changed in 2003, after a controversial two-year process, to allow for radical electoral system reforms which cleared the way for Bermuda's first single-seat General Election last year.

But the UBP and the Due Process Association criticised the procedures used to make the changes, saying the public should be more involved by way of a constitutional conference and a referendum.

Britain responded to the concerns by asking Governor Sir John Vereker to canvass the public on how the Constitution and the electoral map should be changed in the future.

Yesterday Dr. Gibbons could not say if the UBP would be sticking to its position that the Constitution should not be changed without a conference and a ratifying referendum.

“It would be inappropriate for me to comment publicly before the (internal party) consultations are complete,” Dr. Gibbons said.

Shadow Justice Minister Trevor Moniz likened the current canvassing process to “closing the barn door when the horse has bolted”, and argued that more time should be allowed and a national dialogue should take place.

“This is the sort of thing that people take years to do, not weeks or months,” he said. “It's being done in my view in a very casual manner and in an unseemly rush.”

And he said it was possible that the deadline may have to be extended again.

Meanwhile Warren Cabral, secretary for the Due Process Association said that the lobby group had recommended that an independently appointed commission play a leading role in changing the Constitution. The proposals, which Mr. Cabral called an “interim measure until Bermuda becomes independent”, do not involve a constitutional conference.

“The underlying premise of our proposals is that Bermudians should have primary control over the process, with the bulk of the procedures being conducted in Bermuda and subject to oversight by the Bermuda courts,” said Mr. Cabral by e-mail from the UK.