Independence Cabinet Committee, Premier Sir John Swan joined Committee members and fielded questions on Independence from the audience last week.

Committee Chairman the Hon. Irving Pearman invited the Premier to respond to questions raised by the Green Paper at the Horticultural Hall, Botanical Gardens.

Before the 26-strong audience, Sir John repeated his pledge that he would step down as Premier in the event of majority no-vote at next week's referendum.

"I would honour it,'' he said. "I would dishonour it if I stayed on and held onto being Premier.'' In response to a question "Independence - why now?'' the Premier replied that following civil disorder in 1977, the Bermuda Regiment numbers had been increased and training focused on containing civil disorder.

And while the Soviet Union had once been a threat, Bermuda now had more to fear from internal conflict than an outside aggressor.

"With internal and external changes, it was felt this was the time to pursue this issue of Independence again,'' Mr. Pearman added.

One man wondered if race relations could get any worse under Independence than they were already.

"If you think you are living in the worst country for race relations, I feel sorry for you,'' Dr. Saul told him. "What galls a lot of people, black and white, is that little word written underneath "Bermuda'' in brackets -- British'', adding that many of the perceived benefits of Independence were "intangibles''.

When asked what had caused the recent antipathy toward Britain, Sir John claimed he felt "no rancour'' toward the British. British traditions and customs would continue in an independent Bermuda.

"Barbados is more British than British and they have been independent for 27 years,'' he said.

But it was time to cut the apron strings, he said. Bermuda had "come of age to take responsibility'' for itself.

"Bermuda is not producing its own children. They are offshoots of the United Kingdom,'' he said.