The rights of Bermudians versus the hopes of long-term residents for a secure future is a highly-charged issue guaranteed to divide the Island along rigid battle lines.

And tonight in St. George's people from all sides of the debate will get a final chance to line up for or against a better deal for immigrants before the House of Assembly debates the problem in the new session.

To gauge public perception, the Government recently set up a series of public meetings on the issue. The first of the meetings was held in Hamilton three weeks ago.

More than 200 people packed Cathedral Hall to discuss the emotive issues surrounding offering long term residents a future, while protecting the rights of Bermudians.

According to statistics in the Government's discussion paper on long-term residents, of the 2,034 foreign-born, 20 year residents, the British formed the largest single group from overseas.

Based on the 1991 census report, 482 British subjects' future may be affected by a decision on long-term residents.

Some 466 Portuguese, 441 Americans and 307 West Indians also have a vested interest in the debate.

Ana Faria, of the Portuguese Bermudian Association told the Royal Gazette that she believed the Government's statistics were inaccurate.

"Those figures need to be fixed,'' Ms Faria maintained. "I think the numbers are much lower.

"Those numbers are six years old. They do not take into account the fact that five years ago hundreds of families left here. Nor do they take into account that a number of those people have married Bermudians.'' But Ms Faria admitted that the Government had to consider policy on future foreign workers.

"They have to look at the future or current foreign workers,'' she said. "I think we need to curtail those coming in now.'' And she said that the long-term residents differed from the current foreign worker.

"These people came years ago when they thought there was a chance to gain status,'' she explained. "And a number of them came as children who had no choice in the matter.

"It was not until those children got older and wanted to get a summer job, apply for scholarships or enter the work force that they realised the differences.'' Options up for discussion include blanket awards of status to people who have lived in Bermuda for more than 20 years, a one-year amnesty giving a one-off chance for status and a "green card'' system similar to that in operation in the US.

Ms Faria said she believed that the public had more sympathy for the Portuguese than for any other group of long-term residents.

"I think Bermudians have more sympathy for the Portuguese,'' she said.

"There is more resentment towards the long-term white-collar worker than the Portuguese. Maybe it is because Bermudians have worked and lived alongside of them and know them.'' And she urged Bermudians to put aside their hostility and consider the issue from a long-term resident's perspective.

"I don't think people look at the long-term workers. They should just stop and think about their plight. The whole issue just gets dumped in with the issue of foreign workers. If they were to just stop and think that the person next door to them may be a long-term resident with ties to Bermuda, they might feel different.'' The one thing the two opposing sides agreed upon was that this issue should have been addressed "a long time ago''.

And despite their opposition to the idea of status for foreigners, most Bermudians at the recent meetings expressed sympathy for the plight of the long-term resident.

Several Bermudians even threw their support behind granting long-term residents green cards.

One Bermudian man said: "I feel sorry for these folks. There should have been a policy on this years ago, it's kind of late to be doing this now. This shouldn't have been allowed to mushroom.'' But one Bermudian woman argued that long-term residents did not have the right to demand special treatment.

"When you go to a country, it is a privilege and if they let you stay then it is a honour,'' she said. "If you are not born in that country, then you are a guest but you do not have a right to that country.

"If they are invited to stay in that country a little while, that is o.k., but it does not entitle them to make demands.

"Our guests have forgotten that they are a guest in this country. They do not have the right to make demands or try to take things over. They need to keep this straight in their minds -- they are guests. They may be here for years but they are not Bermudian.'' Another man pointed out that the long-term residents came to Bermuda knowing that there were no promises of gaining Bermudian status.

"They came here knowing they were here to do a job,'' the Bermudian man explained. "And we extended the privilege of staying here. But they knew the deal.'' Dale Butler, of the now-disbanded community group Bermuda for Bermudians, told The Royal Gazette that he attended both meetings "to express the views people have expressed to me''.

Mr. Butler said Bermudians were concerned about the affects on housing if long-term resident were given status.

"Housing prices will go up if they get status because they will buy up the moderately-priced homes,'' he explained. "I have come across many Bermudians who have their eye on a $270,000 home and are working towards buying one. But they will not be able to because they will be all bought up.'' Mr. Butler also said Bermudians did not believe that they had to take responsibility for the fact that long-term residents stayed and spent the best part of their lives in Bermuda.

And he said a green card, guaranteeing employment, was the way to go "only if we have do something for them''.

Those on either side of the contentious issue will get their final chance to debate the Government's Green Paper tonight at a meeting held at the Town Hall in St. George's starting at 8.00 p.m.

ANA FARIA -- She believes that the public had more sympathy for the Portuguese than for any other group of long-term residents.

GOVERNMENT GVT