The chairman of the United Nations Decolonisation Committee was not interested in polls declaring that the vast majority of Bermudians are against Independence yesterday.

And Sir Julian Hunte said the question of General Election or referendum was ?totally irrelevant? at this stage of the process ? but that the debate itself could indeed help bridge the racial divide.

Speaking to yesterday, Sir Julian said Bermuda has a ?sound basis? for moving towards Independence. ?The economy of this country is very buoyant, and has been sustainably so. The statistics show you have a high level of education, your social infrastructure seems to be advanced.?

But when asked about polls showing that 65 percent of Bermudians are against Independence, he replied: ?I?m not interested in that.

?What I?m interested in is that we?re here to assist as the SC-24 ... and to provide as much information as possible so that when the opportunity arises, people will have the choice between going independent alone, to go independent in association with another independent country, or an integration with an independent country.?

Sir Julian added: ?I am not here to monitor polls.?

Sir Julian is on the Island ? his second trip to Bermuda (the first being cricket-related back in the 1990s) ? along with a delegation from the Decolonisation Committee (Special Committee of 24, or SC-24) to give Bermudians information on the process of self-determination.

The SC-24 has attended three public meetings with the BIC this week, the third being last night, where Bermudians could ask them direct questions about their own experiences with Independence and hear their answers.

The Special Committe plans to return to Bermuda on May 30 for a six day visit.

The UN has made self-determination for every nation a chartered commitment to be achieved by 2010, Sir Julian explained yesterday.

As for the 16 countries which have not yet chosen the path of self-determination over the past 40 years since the Special Committee?s creation, he said the SC-24 reviews the situation with each country yearly.

When asked what is holding those other countries up, he mentioned factors such as natural disasters which may stall a country?s progress towards self-determination. However the SC-24 continues to meet with administering powers giving evidence as to the hold-ups, he said, adding: ?Every year we review.?

When asked about the process towards Independence, he replied: ?That?s an interesting question. I don?t know what answer you expect of me.

?Bermuda is in the process right now. The BIC (Bermuda Independence Commission) is having discussions with its citizens to determine how people feel about it.?

As for the specific question of referendum or General Election, until the BIC completes its fact-finding mission, he said: ?It?s totally irrelevant. You have a process in place.

?I cannot anticipate that there is going to be anything other than what has happened. In fact, it?s never even crossed my mind.?

He did not see race playing a major role in the decision to go Independence. ?What I see is that it?s a matter that needs to be addressed ... In a process like this, people speak their minds.

?Sometimes it?s like a family gathering. The father and mother may feel that everything is fine, then all of a sudden they realise they had problems they were not aware of at all.

?So there are a number of things being said and both sides may understand what is being said. I am hoping that as the debate comes to a conclusion, people may be drawn closer together in the country as a whole. There is usually division (along the road to self-determination),? Sir Julian concluded. ?My experience is that at the end of the day everybody comes together.?