Parliamentarians will today debate the Boundaries Commission Report on electoral reform. Premier Jennifer Smith will, at the end of what is expected to be a marathon discussion, move that the House approve the Report but the Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) is likely to move some add-on motions to address their concerns, which could make the debate's outcome far from predictable.

Yesterday, ruling party backbenchers Arthur Hodgson and Dale Butler indicated that they, at least, will be following the party line.

"I haven't heard a thing that makes me think this is not right," said Mr. Butler. But he promised to listen carefully to the arguments.

Mr. Hodgson said he did not think there were any "momentous principles" that would require him to vote with the Opposition.

Premier Jennifer Smith said she had "no idea" what would happen in the House chamber today. "It depends on whether or not people stick to the integrity of their words when they signed that document," she said. "I know what our position is."

The UBP participated fully in the Boundaries Commission's deliberations and have endorsed the report. But its proposal that there should be an independently appointed and unelected Speaker, while supported by the majority of the Commissioners, was not recommended because the Commission felt it was outside their remit. The Opposition party is also concerned about how future Boundaries Commissions will operate and have been pushing for a wholesale reregistration of voters once the new single seat system is enforced.

And the UBP is also likely to push for a constitutional conference and a referendum. "We would still have slavery, if we had left it to a referendum," said Mr. Butler.

Yesterday party leader Grant Gibbons confirmed that the party might move some add-on motions to the report debate.

"The UBP embraces single seats and embraces the concept of one person one vote of equal value," Dr. Gibbons said. "It's also fair to say that we will support and can work with the Boundaries Commission's recommendations and the new constituency boundaries that they are proposing."

But, he said, residual issues remain because the Boundaries Commission's work was "constrained" by a "fairly narrow" remit. "Under single seats, if a speaker is chosen from the elected MPs that means that the constituents will not have the same voice as other constituents so it makes a bit of a nonsense of 'one person, one vote, each of equal value. This (independently appointed speaker) is not a unique concept."

He added that the UBP was still concerned about the rules of future Boundaries Commissions. An Order of Council was enacted specifically to allow the Commission to recommend the number of, and boundaries, of single seat constituencies last August.

"Will future Boundaries Commissions be allowed to change the number of seats, if there's growth in the population for example?" Dr. Gibbons said.

"It is very likely that we will be putting down motions to address these issues which we think are going to be important."

He flatly refused to say how many add-on motions he will be asking Parliament to approve. But he indicated that a motion on reregistration of voters may be another. "The fact of the matter is the single seats were done on the basis of street addresses and the Parliamentary Registrar uses land valuation numbers and its very important that everybody knows where they are voting and those of us who have been out there canvassing recognise there has been considerable movement between different parishes. For example, last election there was a tremendous amount of movement up until the last election and in the last year or two we have noticed changes which have not been reflected on the official parliamentary registration list."

Voters are responsible for making sure that their details on the voters list are correct.

But the UBP says that confusion at the polling stations will be avoided if everyone is required to reregister.

And asked whether the party's advocacy of an independent speaker meant that they will also be pushing for a constitutional conference to decide on how the Speaker will be appointed, he said that a conference was one way but that the UBP was open to suggestions.

"It's important to have these issues addressed in a way which allows thorough discussion, transparency and public input as we are certainly in the midst of what would be fair to call significant constitutional change," Dr. Gibbons said.

And he repeated the party's oft stated position that the proposed electoral reforms be ratified by the people of Bermuda in a referendum.

He said he had not canvassed any ruling party Parliamentarians for tomorrow's debate. "We will obviously make the best case as we can. But we recognise there's likely to be a strong whip on the Government side but we hope people will see the logic of some of the suggestions we will be putting forward."

The Boundaries Commission is recommending that the Island be divided into 36 constituencies each to return one person to Parliament. Currently there are 20 constituencies each returning two Members of Parliament.

A report of today's debate, which is being specially transcribed for the purpose, will be sent to the British Government, which will make a final decision on the next steps before the Constitution is changed.