Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister has rejected a call to hold a referendum on the future of conscription to the Bermuda Regiment

"No, we don't need a referendum (on conscription). We would only need a referendum if it was on whether the army has a role to play,'' he last night told The Royal Gazette.

Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin made the call Friday night in the House of Assembly.

Mr. Lister is convinced Bermudians continue to support the Regiment as it is, so he believes there is no need for a referendum on conscription.

Mrs Gordon-Pamplin, in the House, argued there may be a need to have a look at, or a referendum on, conscription to see if it remains relevant.

"It is important that the non-combatant options should be open to conscientious objectors. The Regiment is good and is effective and perhaps conscription is the way. But I don't know if my opinion is indicative of opinion in the community and maybe we should have a look."

Opposition leader Dr. Grant Gibbons last night told The Royal Gazette the United Bermuda Party had not discussed the issue of a referendum on conscription in its caucus and did not have a formal position.

"It hasn't really been discussed at a caucus level and quite frankly I wouldn't say it's been on the front burner. I think Pat was reflecting some of the concern that is out there in some quarters," he said.

"In dealing with the broader issues of the Regiment and dealing with some of the difficulties they have been facing in getting people called up, it would be helpful if Government would release the review of the Regiment."

Mr. Lister said last night there were plenty of options for conscientious objectors to serve in the Regiment without handling firearms, such as Signals Corps, the Quartermasters Group, and the boat and vehicle maintenance corps.

"There is no reason why someone who doesn't want to fire a gun can't serve in the Regiment for three years, then leave. I don't have sympathy for those who don't want to be in because they don't want to carry a gun. I think they don't want to be in,' he told The Royal Gazette.

""Whether a referendum would support the army, I'm pretty confident it would. And I'm pretty sure people want it to carry on functioning the way it does."

Mr. Lister said the real challenge for the Regiment was to get enough recruits when there was a falling birthrate and a large number of young Bermudians being educated overseas.