on independence to dependent territories, it was charged this week.

Chairman of the Committee for the Independence of Bermuda, Mr. Walton Brown Jr., urged Bermuda's Government to set the ball rolling by inviting a UN team here to collect "unfiltered information'' on the Island and to answer locals' questions about the issue.

Returning from a UN Special Committee on Decolonisation Regional seminar in Grenada, Mr. Brown said representatives from the non-self governing territories in the Caribbean were "unanimous'' in their opinion that the UN should step up its work in the region and provide more information on independence.

Bermuda is the only dependent territory which has not invited a UN official to discuss the issue of independence, he said.

"We call on the Bermuda Government to initiate action which would allow for an official United Nations mission to Bermuda so that: The UN could acquire first-hand, unfiltered information on the state of affairs in Bermuda and speak directly to the people of Bermuda; and allow Bermudians the opportunity to air their concerns on matters relating to independence to an "impartial body'' and have important questions answered by a team of experts.'' "We are gravely concerned that the British Government has refused to participate in the proceedings of the United Nations Special Committee,'' Mr.

Brown added. "This is an act of irresponsibility given that Britain is the largest colonial power and should be playing a larger role in assisting colonies to achieve self-determination.

"Moreover, the British Government's position borders on dishonesty when they claim the matter of independence is up to the people of Bermuda yet provide no information to facilitate that process. They have an obligation under the United Nations resolutions to provide such information.'' He said diplomats and UN Secretariat members at the seminar also complained that the British and US governments had attempted to pressure dependent territory governments not to attend.

Mr. Brown said the committee would accept this as true if they received consistent support for the claim by other UN members and nothing to prove the contrary.

The highest-ranking government official to attend the seminar was British Virgin Islands Deputy Chief Minister the Hon. Ralph O'Neal.

Mr. Brown stressed that legitimate questions must be raised about who decides the independence question.

"One of the points repeatedly raised by this committee has been the manipulation of racial ratios through immigration policy for political purposes,'' he said. "We note that UN General Assembly Resolution 40/56 (December 2, 1985) expressly condemns such action.'' The committee plans to raise these concerns with Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan and Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade.

"Depending on the reaction from them, we will take further action,'' Mr.

Brown said, adding that the committee's concerns would also be sent to the British Government via the Governor.

Noting that the Government refused to attend the seminar, Mr. Brown said Bermuda had missed an opportunity to get insight into a variety of social and economic issues affecting colonies.

He said funding for representatives from dependent territories was covered entirely by the UN.

MR. WALTON BROWN JR. -- British government is shirking it's responsibility.