Plans to set up procedures for changing the constitution have been welcomed by the Association for Due Process and the Constitution.

The group was formed in 2001 after Government attempted to change the constitution by moving to single seat constituencies simply by passing a law in Parliament. Eventually several public meetings were held after a great deal of controversy.

Warren Cabral secretary of lobby group, said he welcomed the chance to have a formal set of rules before changes could be made on how Bermuda was governed. He said: ?I think it?s great. Clearly it?s necessary. There is no question we as a country can?t go through that again.?

Procedural issues should be set out, just as they were in most other civilised countries said Mr. Cabral. ?It?s common sense as well as sound democracy.?

He pointed out that ultimately Britain had the last say on Bermuda?s constitutional arrangements but Bermuda needed to have a set format about what went to the mother country.

At the moment a vague statement in a political platform could get pushed through by a small majority in Parliament, said Mr. Cabral. ?The constitution is the people?s document, not the document of individual political parties.?

Mr. Cabral said the Association would be consulting its two academics Professor David Farrell and Clive Payne before putting forward a formal response.

Ironically he said the Boundary Commission, which decided how the 36 new seats would be divided, was a good model for a future constitutional commission with two government and two opposition members as well as two independents getting input from the public before sending recommendations to London.

He said: ?That?s a very sound structure.?

However he said Britain?s stated goals of transparency were not served by the Boundary Commission?s refusal to release the data upon which they were working. The public are being invited to e-mail comments on the procedure for changing Bermuda?s constitution to depgovibl.bm.

The move, sparked by Britain, has been welcomed by the Opposition. Government has been silent on the issue but the Governor said in February that ministers had also highlighted concerns.