Last week?s Overseas Territories Consultative Council meeting in London produced some good news and some not so good news.

The good news was that the Foreign Office will make a decision before Christmas on whether the UK?s remaining overseas territories should make a decision on Independence via a referendum or through a General Election.

That?s good because it would clear up the uncertainty, at least in Bermuda, which has arisen because one political party, the governing Progressive Labour Party, prefers a General Election while the other main party, the Opposition United Bermuda Party, prefers a referendum.

That?s the good news. The not so good news is that, at least according to Premier Alex Scott, only the Governments of the Overseas Territories will be invited to submit their views.

That?s a change from the process carried out earlier this year by Government House in Bermuda in which all parties were canvassed on how Constitutional change in general should be carried out.

Most of the arguments for and against deciding on any Constitutional issue, including Independence, via either of these methods have been aired in enormous detail in the past, and there?s little point in airing them again.

But the broad point that decisions about the future of the Island should be made after wide consultation, transparently and ?in the full sunshine of public scrutiny? cannot be made strongly enough.

And on that point, there is something fundamentally wrong with a Government which received 51.6 percent of the vote in the last General Election speaking for the whole community when the party which received 48 percent of the vote is so completely opposed on this issue.

The Government should also remember that the shoe was on the other foot as recently as 1995 when then-Premier Sir John Swan opted for a referendum when the PLP wanted the issue decided ? to the extent it wanted it decided at all while it was in Opposition ? via a General Election.

If the PLP felt that the then-Government was wrong to force a referendum on it then, then surely it cannot be right to force a General Election ? and Premier Scott will almost certainly recommend it ? on the public now.

Instead, Mr. Scott should renew his vow of being a uniter and canvass and relay all points of view to the UK.

To be sure, the Government?s opinion will carry plenty of weight, but it has to be made clear to the Foreign Office that his is not the only point of view being put forward.