Anti-Independence MP Trevor Moniz has hit back at claims by Walton Brown that the European Union is pushing to control custom duties on overseas territories including Bermuda.

Mr. Moniz said the pressure was coming from the World Trade Organisation and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) to get rid of customs duties and that the EU was merely reacting.

“Everyone is pushing for free trade,” said Mr. Moniz.

And he said information from the UK about the cost Bermuda would be faced with if it went for Independence put paid to any advantages the pro-lobby claimed autonomy had.

Britain said Bermuda could expect to pay a $500,000-plus bill for joining the United Nations and another $1 million for other UN bodies such as the World Health Organisation and the World Tourism Organisation with an estimated total cost of up to $1 million.

“People still banging on about Independence do so out of their own political agendas,” said Mr. Moniz who said he feared the PLP would stir up racial tension on the issue, just as they had done in the last election.

However Mr. Brown said it was clear the Europeans themselves were pushing for changes which would give them the right to set tax and duties on overseas territories getting imports from the EU.

He said the proposed European Constitution would give a level of control over the Governance of Bermuda never witnessed before.

Mr. Brown said he wasn't worried that the pro-Independence lobby had yet to get organised in the last six months since the Bermuda Independence Commission was formed to publicly examine the issue.

He said there was no time parameter set on if or when Bermuda would go for Independence so there was no point in exerting energy for an issue which might not be decided for two or three years.

However Mr. Moniz said a referendum on the issue would be a waste of time with polls saying that support for autonomy is still below 20 percent.