Businessman Mr. Harry Cox said Government would control the Police and Bermuda Regiment if ties with Britain were cut.

He claimed Premier the Hon Sir John Swan had talked about becoming head of both.

Mr. Cox added Independence would also remove a safeguard of justice -- the Privy Council.

"It would be the first step to tyranny,'' he told a poorly attended meeting at Harrington Workmen's Club on Wednesday.

Independence campaigner Mr. Walton Brown, said Bermuda had to discover its own position in a fast-changing world.

And he sought to scotch concerns an Independent Bermuda could become impoverished like some Caribbean islands.

Later, Mr. Brown touched on constitutional changes if Bermuda broke from Britain.

"I think we should abolish the Senate,'' he said, describing it as a non-elected body.

Just 17 people, mostly black, turned up for Wednesday night's meeting, which had the theme: "Independence: What It Means To You''.

But organisers -- the club -- blamed poor publicity rather than lack of interest in the subject.

They plan to hold another Independence forum in two weeks.

Mr. Brown, who heads the Committee for Independence, began by saying Bermuda had to adapt to a post-Cold war climate.

The Bases were closing here as foreign powers looked to their own interests.

And two huge trading blocs were growing in Europe and North America.

Mr. Brown said Bermuda was not well placed to "articulate'' on foreign affairs -- even when they affected the Island.

"We have to seek British permission to discuss foreign matters.'' Mr. Brown said any cost to Bermuda of going Independent would be "negligible''.

Tourism offices abroad could double up as consulates. Defence, too, was not a bar to Independence. "It is a non-issue,'' he said.

Mr. Brown said under colonisation wealth remained within Bermuda -- that distinguished it from the Caribbean islands, now independent.

There was no reason to fear Bermuda, with a very different history, would lose its wealth.

Mr. Cox described Independence as a "false God''.

He said the closure of the Bases presented Bermuda with the greatest opportunities in 300 years.

Now was not the time to go Independent.

Rather Bermuda should strengthen the huge benefits of remaining tied to Britain, he said.

Mr. Cox said Bermuda faced being "laughed to scorn'' if it went Independent.

The Island was in a remote corner of the earth, produced nothing, and had no natural resources, he added.

But it had always been a self-governing colony, making its own laws.

So what did it want to be Independent of? Businessman Mr. Geddes Clemendor, who is involved in the AME Church and is Secretary of the Hamilton Kiwanis, stressed: "Bermuda is for Bermudians''.

People should be wary of those who supported or opposed Independence for their own interests.

Education about Independence was the key.

"We should give people the opportunity to make that choice by educating them.''