destruction'' a UBP Cabinet Minister said.

Moreover, each Bermudian should see Independence as an opportunity to reorder and redefine its social contract in a way that will be more inclusive.

Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess made these assertions during his opening address at a United Bermuda Party Independence forum last week.

Close to 40 people attended the meeting, sponsored by the UBPs Warwick branch, in the St. Mary's Church Hall.

Mr. Burgess said Bermuda had a golden opportunity to create a set of circumstances that would encourage more people to "buy in'' to a new vision for the Island.

"I can't guarantee that Independence will solve all our social problems,'' he said. "What I can guarantee is that it will be the first opportunity to reorder a social contract that I think this Country needs to go into the 21st century.'' However, Government backbencher Mr. Trevor Moniz said such statements sent the wrong message to Bermudians especially those who are alienated within the status quo.

Mr. Moniz said Independence was no cure for alienation although it was true that there were some Bermudians, both white and black, who distrusted the political process.

"They don't want to register to vote and they don't want to vote,'' he said.

" ... but the difficulty is that Independence will not solve any of those problems. It will not solve the problems we face with alienation.

"The guy on the wall is unhappy because he can't find a job. He can't support his family and he has personal problems.

"Saying tomorrow that we are independent and we have hoisted a new flag, is not going to do anything for him.'' Mr. Moniz said the whole Independence issue did not emerge from the "grass roots''. Instead it was a politicians' issue that had emanated from on high.

He said polls taken showed that Independence was not on the top of any major poll taken because Bermudians were more concerned with other social problems.

Nevertheless, Government had thrust Independence on the agenda because it was something they perceived they could solve today, unlike the problems of crime and violence.

However, Mr. Burgess countered that an essential facet of leadership also included the ability "to bring the public along'' when necessary.

In fact Mr. Burgess said the impetus to get rid of the plus vote and to lower the voting age did not come from the grass roots. Instead it came from the leaders at the time. Independence, he said, was no different.

Some members of the audience viewed the Independence issue as a distraction from more important issues such as crime, race relations, and education.

One black man asked whether politicians had broached the Independence question in order for Government to divert attention from the more pressing issue of institutionalised racism.

He said: "The people are really after economic independence not political independence.'' But Mr. Burgess said Government was still committed to eradicating the remaining vestiges of racism from Bermuda but this problem will not be conquered overnight.