Independence should be put to the people by way of a referendum, says Progressive Labour Party (PLP) stalwart Reginald Burrows.

Besides being a major shift for the independence advocate, Mr. Burrows' position is now at odds with the official party line, and more in tune with the Opposition's.

But he believes that the country would vote to end the colonial relationship with Britain. "If they say no, you would have to go along with what the people say. Our electorate is intelligent enough to know whether they want it or not."

Mr. Burrows, who will probably announce his retirement from the political fray tonight, said that despite having supported his party's approach to independence he now believed that a referendum would be the fairest way to deal with the issue.

The PLP has advocated an independent Bermuda since its inception in the 1960s, and indicated before the last general election that it could be on the party platform for its campaign for a second term as government.

The Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) opposes Independence being decided as an election issue, saying the people should decide by way of a referendum.

Mr. Burrows had been asked what he would most like to see on the party's platform for the July 24 election.

Housing, education and drugs topped Mr. Burrows list of issues that should be addressed in the manifesto.

Independence, a long cherished dream of the Island's first political party, was absent.

"What I would like to see on independence, and I hope the PLP would do it, is to have a referendum," Mr. Burrows explained.

"I've never been very much in favour (of a referendum) but I think it would be the fairest way to do it."

Besides, he said, he did not think independence would be an issue for the coming poll, and he believed a referendum would result in a majority `yes' vote.

"They may not support it as an election issue but they will give us a positive vote in a referendum."

He acknowledged that Britain could force Bermuda to go independent, much like it "forced" the country to abolish capital punishment.

Just one third of eligible voters took part in the Island's first national referendum, on capital punishment, in 1990. Almost 80 percent of those who did vote, voted to retain the death penalty. But Britain which has for decades opposed the death penalty on human rights grounds, stepped up pressure on its colonies to abolish the final solution in the late 1990s.

It was finally done away with in 1999 when the PLP brought the abolition bill to the House of Assembly for debate.

The PLP asked its supporters to abstain during the1995 independence referendum, arguing that electoral and other injustices should be dealt with first and that the matter was better resolved as a key issue of a general election. Turnout, at around 60 percent was far better than for the capital punishment referendum. But only a quarter of those voters said `yes' to independence.