The sustainable development round table will remain standing and reassessing sustainable development in Bermuda long after the Government of the day is gone, Premier Alex Scott promised yesterday.

Introducing the members of the round table to the public on the Cabinet lawn yesterday, the Premier also announced that the sustainable development project team will be attending the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development meeting in New York today.

The meeting will give members of the project team - who are to be advised by members of the newly formed round table - an opportunity to address the conference and inform every nation of Bermuda's plans, the Premier said. Should that happen, he promised the text of that presentation will be made available to the Bermudian public.

The role of the round table, an independent advisory body to the project team headed up by Government's Sustainable Development Officer Ross Andrews, will be to ensure the project's links to the wider community, the Premier said. Members are representatives of the broader community, including everyone from the National Trust to the Bermuda Industrial Union to international business to the fishing/agricultural sectors and the United Bermuda Party.

“We must gather Bermuda's perspectives on its future,” the Premier said.

Chairman Malcolm Butterfield said the round table has not hammered out a schedule yet, having only just had their first meeting together last week. However during May, June and part of July Bermudians can expect a flurry of activity as the round table gathers information from the public, he said. The group will also be constantly revisiting sustainable development in the months and years to come, he added.

When asked if he expected sparks to fly among some of the very diverse members of the round table, Mr. Butterfield said he anticipated they will not agree on everything.

However he expected members to respect each other's views and deliberate candidly. “I think this group is mature and wise enough to deal with our differences.” Mr. Scott also gave a brief update on the project team itself. “The team has been researching some of the challenges that we face as a country and has been working closely with each Ministry throughout the Government so that their work does not occur in isolation of the work that is presently underway throughout the Government and the wider community.”

A formal public consultation process will take place in coming weeks, he added, promising more details closer to the time.

Team members: Malcolm Butterfield (Chairman), Graham Nesbitt (Bermuda Industrial Union), David Chapman, Stuart Hayward, Frances Mussenden (Bermuda Employers' Council), Cole Simons (Shadow Minister of the Environment, UBP), Arthur Hodgson, Dorcas Roberts (Bermuda National Trust), Pauulu Kamarakefego, Vincent Ingham (Bermuda Electric Light Company), Clarence Maxwell, Deborah Middleton (Bermuda International Business Association), Peter Everson (Bermuda Chamber of Commerce), Amanda Outerbridge, Craig Simmons, Tom Wadson (agricultural sector), Danny Farias (fishing industry), Renee Webb (PLP), Rev. Betty Furbert-Woolridge and Wayne Carey (Permanent Secretary Environment, ex-oficio member)