Austria, France and Jamaica are among the latest countries where Bermuda’s potential constitutional crisis has caught the imagination of the media.

Newspapers in Vienna and Paris yesterday reported how Public Safety Minister David Burch called for Governor Sir John Vereker to hand over control over the Police, days after Premier Ewart Brown’s threat to suspend all dealings with Sir John.

One news group, radiojamaica.com, went as far as running a headline stating Sir John had been stripped of his constitutional powers.

It comes after Bermuda International Business Association chief Cheryl Packwood warned Dr. Brown’s comments — and the international reaction they have sparked — were jeopardising the Island’s blue chip reputation as a financial jurisdiction.

Earlier this week, UK newspapers The Times and The Daily Mail, with combined circulation figures of three million per day, ran articles claiming Bermuda was “in the grip of a constitutional crisis”.

News website PR-inside.com reports the press in Vienna as running a story under the headline “Bermuda’s top safety official calls for Britain to give up control over police”.

The International Herald Tribune, a global newspaper based in Paris with circulation figures of about 240,000, reported a full story based on an article on The Royal Gazette’s website yesterday.

Radiojamaica.com ran the headline “Bermudan (sic) Governor stripped of constitutional powers” although the article went on to state Minister Burch had called on Sir John to relinquish powers over the Police and delegate them to the Bermuda Government.

Meanwhile, The Times and Daily Mail website reports have caused a stir among readers in England and Bermuda. In a readers’ response section on The Times website, Hywel Brown, of Pembroke, said: “Right now, the Governor is the only thing standing between Ewart Brown and him declaring himself King of Bermuda. . . . This island is in crisis and people here need to get outraged.”

Patricia Trott, of Paget, wrote: “Ewart Brown is aware that the people of Bermuda would vote ‘No’ to independence if given the chance, as they have in the past. Let’s hope that the people of Bermuda wake up in time to protest against the madness before it’s too late.”

Nelson Oliveira, from London, commented: “The threat is a little hollow, as the Governor runs the Police and the armed services, also known as Bermuda Regiment. They are usually deployed after a hurricane has struck, and Bermuda has just entered hurricane season.”

Brian Case, of Toronto, Canada, said: “It doesn’t need a Governor, it’s merely window dressing. The reality is that it’s good for business for Bermuda to remain attached to the UK. However, the local politicians make it clear that they don’t want the UK to take an active role in administering the islands.”

On the Daily Mail site, Kim, from Hampshire, in England, said: “If the people of Bermuda want this, they should have it.”

John, from Tendring, Essex, England, said: “They must be worried that they will get Blair with Cherie in tow.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Ms Packwood, the CEO of BIBA, said: “Any perceived threat to our stability such as the Premier’s comments regarding suspension of relations with the Governor’s office jeopardises Bermuda’s reputation as a secure financial jurisdiction for international business.”

Chamber of Commerce president Philip Barnett said there had been no effect on business on the Island so far.