in a last bid to thrash out an agreement on constitutional reform before Foreign and Commonwealth Office officals fly to London later today.

Last night it appeared no deal had been concluded, but it is understood the FCO team does have proposals to take to the United Kingdom which reflect the concerns of all groups who made an input.

Governor Thorold Masefield and FCO deputy legal counsel Ian Hendry are expected to hold a press briefing at lunchtime today, but no agenda has been set for this morning.

However, yesterday Government and the United Bermuda Party shared a room for less than two hours for joint talks involving FCO officials and the Governor, breaking up at lunchtime.

Premier Jennifer Smith and a Government delegation were seen arriving at Government House around 11 a.m. and the parties left at 1 p.m. The parties did not return for the afternoon.

FCO officials, who opened the consultative process on Monday, spent the whole of Tuesday taking submissions from members of the public.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney told The Royal Gazette last night: "They (the parties) discussed all the issues that had been raised and all the proposals that had been raised.

"There was discussion about all the issues raised, including the concerns raised at the public forums on Monday and Tuesday, and the written submissions.

"I continue to feel it is going quite positively. It has been constructive by all sides and there has been positive progress.'' Asked if an agreement will be announced today, Mr. Gurney said: "It's too early to say. All the indications are very positive and there has been a positive constructive atmosphere.'' Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said last night: "We met briefly today. I hear what you tell me the Deputy Governor has to say and I respect that that is his view on how things are going.

"Beyond that I have no comment because my understanding is that the parties were not going to comment.'' The Royal Gazette understands that no deal has been concluded but the FCO team have proposals to take back to Foreign Secretary Robin Cook which reflect the concerns of all parties.

At the public meetings at Government House there was widespread support for a referendum on changes to the constitution and concern that established procedures had not been followed in this instance.

The PLP has proposed that the Boundaries Commission be empowered to scrap dual seat parish-based constituencies and recommend single member constituencies with fewer than 40 but no less than 20 MPs.

The new constituencies are designed to ensure votes of equal value based on constituency numbers, and -- if approved by London through an order in council at the Privy Council -- be ratified by a vote in the House of Assembly.

`Positive' talks Government has stood firm against Opposition demands for a referendum, arguing that electoral reform is a long-standing PLP objective, and was included in its manifesto.

However, The Royal Gazette can reveal that former Deputy Governor Peter Lloyd told the FCO officials it would be wrong for parties to assume winning an election gives them the automatic right to change the constitution because there are established mechanisms throughout the world for amending the constitution, usually involving at least two thirds ratification in Parliament.

Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans told Everest DeCosta's "People's Show'' yesterday: "It has long been proved that referendums can be rigged and the question, and how it is framed, decides the answer, therefore you don't agree the question to ask. If there's no agreement, what's the point in having it? "We think we're being very fair by having an independent Boundaries Commission.

"If we just did it in Parliament, we would have outcry, so we recommended the most independent organisation and I'm amazed that anyone could object to that.

I can't understand that when you're trying to be nice you are met with this reactionary behaviour.''